The Belgian anti-corruption judge in charge of the so-called “Qatargate” lifted, Thursday, May 25, the surveillance under electronic bracelet imposed on the Greek MEP Eva Kaili in Brussels, announced to AFP a spokesperson for the federal prosecution.
The elected official was arrested in December in the Belgian capital during a wave of searches. Eva Kaili was then released from prison in mid-April, but assigned to residence under electronic bracelet. This measure is no longer necessary for the rest of the investigation and she is now free under judicial supervision, said the spokesperson, Eric Van Duyse.
The “Qatargate” scandal erupted in December 2022. During searches, Belgian investigators got their hands on around 1.5 million euros in small denominations, distributed in suitcases or bags. These searches had notably taken place at the homes of Eva Kaili and the former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri. Belgian justice suspects cash payments, made in exchange for political decisions or positions favorable to Qatar and Morocco in the European Parliament. Doha and Rabat strongly denied.