Pekka Haavisto, who is visiting the United States, comments to the Finnish media about the corruption suspicions of EU actors from New York.
Belgium the arrests of EU officials by the police due to an investigation related to corruption suspicions sound shocking and the suspicions will certainly eat away at the credibility of the entire parliament, the foreign minister estimates Pekka Haavisto (green).
The police reportedly also arrested the vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Kailin. According to news agency AFP, a source close to the parliament’s corruption investigation has told about the matter. According to the source, the arrest is related to the arrests made earlier on Friday in the corruption investigation.
“This, of course, only deepens such a crisis and deepens the concern. It certainly eats away at the credibility of the entire parliament, if such a doubt even exists. Especially if there is a real attempt at bribery or bribery in question,” commented Haavisto after hearing about Kaili’s arrest.
Read more: Media: Deputy Speaker of the EU Parliament Eva Kaili arrested in a suspected corruption ring
Haavisto, who is visiting the United States, commented on the case to the Finnish media from New York and says that she relied on newspaper information regarding the suspicions of corruption.
“It’s important that suspicions are thoroughly reviewed, and then legal measures are taken if necessary,” says Haavisto.
Police conducted house searches on Friday and arrested four people. Those arrested were said to be Italian citizens or originally from Italy. One of those arrested is said to be Eva Kail’s husband.
Kaili is the Greek representative of the parliament and at the same time one of the 14 vice-speakers of the parliament.
As a result of the corruption investigation, Kaili has been dismissed as party leader from the Greek socialist Pasok party Nikos Androulakis by decision. The party announced the matter on Twitter.
Haavisto emphasizes that the European Parliament has traditionally been careful about all lobbying activities. The Parliament has maintained lobbying registers, the use of which it has also recommended to national parliaments, in order to make lobbying visible.
“A situation where money is used to try to buy the opinions of a member of parliament or to influence a member of parliament or his assistants must of course be condemned. It must be condemned on the part of the payer, but of course it is also a criminal act to accept such a bribe, so it is a very serious charge,” says Haavisto.
Haavisto estimates that the suspicions will surely raise a broad question as to whether such activity could exist elsewhere, and how widespread it could be.
Belgium Friday’s home searches were part of a broader investigation into organized crime, corruption and money laundering, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. Around 600,000 euros in cash as well as computers and mobile phones were seized during home searches.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the suspicions are primarily aimed at parliamentary assistants and an unnamed Persian Gulf state.
According to AFP, a source close to the case has confirmed newspaper reports that the investigation focuses on Qatar’s suspected attempts to bribe an Italian member of parliament between 2004 and 2019.
Kaili44, met, according to AFP, shortly before the World Cup in Qatar, which began on November 20, with Qatar’s Minister of Labor Ali bin Samikh al-Marrin. In a video posted on Twitter by the Qatar News Agency, Kaili said she believes the World Cup is a great tool for political change and reforms in Arab countries.
He added that the European Parliament recognizes and respects Qatar’s progress in labor reforms.
Kaili used similar comments in a speech to the EU parliament later in November, when he accused some members of the parliament of corruption and bullying Qatar.
Qatar’s suspected bribery is believed to be related to the country’s efforts to improve its reputation for mistreatment of foreign workers and poor human rights record.
The Belgian newspaper Le Soir pointed out that the police raids were carried out on Friday, which is the international anti-corruption day designated by the UN.
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