The mission: to bring in one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament for questioning in a corruption raid

Eva Kaili, a Greek social democratic politician, is said to have been brought in for questioning on Friday night in connection with a corruption investigation. Several Belgian and Greek media reported that four others were arrested in the Belgian capital.

The Belgian prosecutor’s office did not name the country at the center of the investigation. The press release referred to a Gulf country.

But the Belgian police should, according to SoireeFor four months they have been investigating suspicions that Qatar tried to bribe decision makers to make decisions in the interest of the country.

Over the course of Friday, the police raided more than 15 locations around Brussels. During the raids, 600,000 euros in cash, mobile phones and computers were confiscated.

The European Parliament says it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings, but adds:

“As always, the European Parliament cooperates fully with the responsible national authorities. Same in this specific case.”

The Greek PASOK party (the pan-Greek socialist movement), to which Eva Kayli belongs, announced on Friday evening that she had been expelled from the party, according to what was reported. euronews.

However, the Belgian authorities have not confirmed any names.

The head of the World Federation suspected

One of those arrested in the raid on Friday, according to Le Soir’s sources, is said to be Luca Visentini, who recently assumed the post of general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (Ituc). ETOC, the largest trade union in the world, represents nearly 200 million workers and white-collar workers in 168 countries and is therefore an important lobbying organisation.

Visentini took over in November of this year. Prior to that, he was Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC, which represents 45 million members in 93 trade unions in 41 European countries.

It is appalling and of course damaging to the international trade union movement both in Europe and the world if there is any truth to it. We don’t know that at all, so we can do nothing but wait for this investigation, Oskar Ernerot, head of the Swedish LO International Unit, tells TT.