European Parliament members under investigation for suspected corruption

ANKARA

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has launched an investigation against around 10 current and former members of the European Parliament (EP) amid allegations of corruption.

The investigation is focused on potential irregularities related to the salaries and allowances paid to the assistants of these parliamentarians.

According to a report by the Belgian French-language newspaper Le Soir, the investigation is centered on suspicions that some members of the EP misused public funds intended for their assistants.

Among the politicians under investigation is Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who was previously removed from her position due to similar corruption allegations.

Belgian MEPs Vilde Vautmans and Tom Vandendriessche are also reportedly involved in the investigation.

EPPO’s investigation has revealed a worrying trend of rising corruption cases within EU institutions, with the number of investigations doubling in 2024 compared to the previous year.

This uptick follows an earlier investigation in which EPPO examined potential irregularities in contracts for COVID-19 vaccine purchases by the European Commission.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has long faced criticism for not adequately addressing corruption cases within EU institutions, with some questioning the transparency and efficiency of its processes.

The European Parliament was rocked by a major corruption scandal about three years ago, which drew significant attention to the issue of bribery within EU institutions.

In December 2022, Belgian authorities conducted extensive searches at multiple locations and seized a significant sum of €1.5 million ($1.6 million).

Key figures involved in the scandal included Greek MEP Eva Kaili, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi—who worked as an assistant in the EP—and NGO executive Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.

These individuals were accused of accepting bribes from a Gulf country to influence the parliament’s economic and political decisions.

While Qatar’s name was mentioned in relation to the case, the Gulf state has categorically denied the allegations.

Following a period of detention, all those involved in the case, including Kaili, were granted conditional bail on April 14, 2023.

However, the investigation led by the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office has drawn increasing scrutiny, with some claiming that it has made little progress and has reached a deadlock.