EU Parliament initiates "internal" probe into Qatar corruption charges, European Commission the same

The Principles and Values of Europe
Eva Kaili faces move to strip MEP of her seat as Qatar corruption probe widens:

UPDATE 1: The European Parliament has voted positively on terminating the term of Eva Kaili as the EU body's vice president over the recent bribery scandal, but she still holds the position of a parliament member, according to the vote's results on Tuesday.

*The decision was made in a 625-1 vote, with 2 abstentions.*

"In view of the ongoing investigations, @Europarl_EN has decided that Eva Kaili is no longer one of its Vice-Presidents. This decision is effective immediately. We will continue to fully cooperate with relevant national law enforcement and judicial authorities," parliament head Roberta Metsola tweeted.
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1. The European Parliament will launch an "internal" investigation over corruption charges, with its head Roberta Metsola saying "there will be no sweeping under the carpet."

Eva Kaili, one of the 14 vice presidents of the European legislative body from Greece's central-left PASOK-KINAL party, was arrested on Friday by Belgium police after her house was searched on corruption charges allegedly linked to Qatar.

Her father was also detained after finding him in possession of a large amount of cash in a suitcase, local reports showed.

"This a test of our values, systems, and colleagues, and we will meet this test head-on. There will be no impunity," Metsola said addressing the parliament. "I'm in politics like so many of you here to fight corruption to stand up for the principles of Europe."

Pointing that they will launch a reform process to see who has access to EU premises, she said: "We will shake up this parliament and ask for more transparency on meetings with foreign actors and those links to them. How these organizations NGOs and people are funded, what links which third countries they have."
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2. The European Commission is checking every detail on the transparency register for commissioners in view of the alleged corruption at the European Parliament, President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.

On Friday, the Belgian authorities carried out several arrests and searches in Brussels in connection with an investigation into allegations of corruption in the European Parliament associated with the holding of the World Cup in Qatar.

"The allegations against the vice president of the European Parliament (Eva Kaili) are of at most concern, very serious. It is a question of the confidence of people in our institutions. This confidence entrusted to our institutions, needs higher standards of independence and integrity," von der Leyen said during a joint press conference with head of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol in Brussels.

The official noted that she proposed the creation of an independent ethics body that covers all EU institutions to ensure that everybody follows the same control mechanisms, as well as share high standards for independence and integrity.

"We are checking every detail on the transparency register. We have very clear rules for all commissioners, we look into that in view of what has happened at the European Parliament and here we have to check how the situation is," von der Leyen said, adding that if any kind of new information occurs, the commission will have "to act and react to that."

The transparency register is a database that lists organizations that try to influence the law-making and policy implementation process of the EU institutions. In particular, the register makes visible whose interests are being pursued, by whom and with what budget.
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3. *Qatar rejects allegations. Qatar has dismissed "baseless and gravely misinformed" allegations of misconduct that have shaken the European Parliament.*