24.5 C
Dubai
Sunday, November 24, 2024
spot_img

WORLD NEWS | Top lawmaker suspended in EU Assembly lobbying scandal

[ad_1]

BRUSSELS, Dec. 10 (AP) — The vice president of the European Union Parliament was suspended by her party group on Friday after several raids by Belgian police linked to an investigation into alleged influence-peddling in the European Parliament by the Gulf state.

The centre-left Socialist and Democratic group in the European Parliament said it “has decided to immediately suspend MEP Eva Kaili from the S&D group in response to the ongoing investigation.”

Read also | From Breakingviews – Sinema widens gap between Democrats and Wall Street – Reuters’ latest tweet.

Kelly, a 44-year-old former Greek TV news anchor, was also suspended by her party, the Hellenic Socialist Party-Pan-European Movement for Change. Pasok said it was acting “in light of the latest developments and investigations by Belgian authorities into corruption among European officials”.

Pasok and S&D declined to provide further details.

Read also | Brittney Griner returns to the US after being released from Russia in a prisoner swap with arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Kerry was suspended after police conducted 16 raids in the Belgian capital Brussels on Friday as part of a corruption and money-laundering investigation involving the European Union parliament and a Gulf state, the federal prosecutor’s office said. Prosecutors declined to name the countries involved.

In a statement, left-wing groups in the EU parliament demanded that what it called the “unfolding Qatar lobbying scandal” be added to the parliamentary agenda next week so that more details about the incident could be determined and considered “appropriate” by lawmakers. response”.

Passok publicly distanced herself from comments made by Carey in the EU Parliament last month, in which she praised Qatar and said the soccer World Cup there “actually demonstrated how sports diplomacy can achieve a historic transformation of a country through reform.” Inspired the Arab world.”

Belgian prosecutors said four people were detained for questioning and investigators recovered about 600,000 euros ($633,500) in cash and seized computer equipment and mobile phones during raids in Brussels.

Prosecutors did not identify the four, but said one was a former member of the European Parliament.

The raids specifically targeted aides working for EU lawmakers, the statement said. The EU Parliament has 705 elected members from the bloc’s 27 member states. Every lawmaker has some assistants.

Prosecutors said Belgium’s federal judicial police suspected the unnamed Gulf state of trying to “influence economic and political decisions in the European Parliament”.

This was allegedly done “by making large payments or gifts to third parties with important political and/or strategic positions in the European Parliament”.

The EU parliament’s press service declined to comment on the raid and the investigation is ongoing, but said it was cooperating fully with Belgian police.

Kaili was elected in January as one of 14 vice presidents at the EU assembly, where she has served as a member since 2014. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)



[ad_2]

Source link

Related Articles

PM Modi Strengthens Global Ties: Successful Three-Nation Tour Boosts India’s International Influence.

PM Modi Triumphant Return: Strengthening Global Ties with Successful Three-Nation Tour covering Nigeria, Brazil, and Guyana. Prime Minister Narendra PM Modi has returned to India...

Chile Leads the Way in Green Energy: Solar and Wind Power Now Generate 44% of the Nation’s Electricity

Chile has taken a significant leap forward in its pursuit of sustainability, with solar and wind power now generating 44% of the nation’s electricity. This...

UAE Operation ‘Chivalrous Knight 3’: Over 121 Aid Shipments Delivered to Gaza Amid Humanitarian Efforts

UAE has reinforced its dedication to humanitarian relief through the ongoing effort known as Operation ‘Chivalrous Knight 3.’   This initiative has seen the UAE dispatch...

BRICS+ Set to Outpace G7 by 2026: A New Era of Economic Power and Global Influence

BRICS+ group, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, alongside a handful of newly integrated nations, is on the brink of a...

From Seed to Superfoods The Inspiring Journey of Bharat Budhiraja and Urbana Superfoods

In a world teeming with fast-paced food trends, Bharat Budhiraja is charting a unique path with his brand, Urbana Superfoods, owned by Krish Perennials Pvt....

Latest Articles