MEP Eva Kaili charged with money laundering, participation in criminal organisation in EU-Qatar scandal

MEP Eva Kaili has been expelled from her centre-left PASOK-KINAL party and suspended from the European Parliament’s Socialists and Democrats Group after being detained, then remanded in custody by Belgian authorities for receiving bribes to advance Qatar’s positions in the European legislature, including glaringly skewing Qatar’s dreadful labour record.

Over 6,500 foreign workers – from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – have died since Doha was awarded this year’s World Cup a decade ago, yet Kaili in late November stunned fellow MEPs when in addressing the European Parliament she extolled Qatar’s progress in the area.

Belgian Federal Police on 9 December conducted 16 raids and collected about 600,000 euros in cash.

Though Greek press reports indicated Belgian police found bags of cash in Kaili’s home, no amount was mentioned.

The official charge against Kaili are participation in a criminal organization, corruption and money laundering.

“It is suspected that third parties in political and/or strategic positions within the European Parliament were paid large sums of money or offered substantial gifts to influence Parliament’s decisions,” the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office stated in announcing charges today.

Qatar denies wrongdoing

“Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” said the Qatari official statement issued today. “The State of Qatar works through institution-to-institution engagement and operates in full compliance with international laws and regulations.”

Politico report

A lengthy report by Politico today outlines Kaili’s consistent and fervent support for Qatar in the European Parliament.

“On November 24, for example, as the plenary passed a resolution “deplor[ing] the deaths of thousands of migrant workers,” Kaili took to the floor to praise the “historical transformation” of Qatar brought on by the World Cup. Similarly, 10 days ago, she showed up to vote in favor of visa liberalization for Qatar and Kuwait in the Parliament’s justice and home affairs committee — even though she’s not a member of the committee,” the report underlined.

“She recently called the country a “frontrunner in labor rights” after meeting with the country’s labor minister, despite deep international concerns about conditions for stadium construction workers. A member of the center-left Socialist & Democrat (S&D) party, her portfolio includes special responsibilities related to the Middle East,” the report noted.