The European leader prosecutor requested on Thursday that the European Parliament raise the immunity from prosecution of 2 Greek MEPs, one in all whom is concerned within the corruption scandal lately shaking the European Union’s handiest without delay elected legislative frame.
In a observation, the prosecutor’s place of business mentioned its request adopted a file from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) relating to “suspicion of fraud detrimental to the EU budget, in relation to the management of the parliamentary allowance.” The request issues, specifically, cash paid to parliamentary assistants.
The two MEPs concerned are socialist Eva Kaili, who was once not too long ago stripped of the position of European Parliament’s Vice President over her alleged involvement within the corruption scandal, and Maria Spyraki of the centre-right European People’s Party.
“In accordance with the national applicable law, Ms Kaili and Ms Spyraki are entitled to the presumption of innocence,” the European Public Prosecutor’s Office mentioned. It’s now not but identified if the prosecutor’s place of business request is connected to the continuing corruption probe.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office was once created to give protection to EU taxpayers’ cash by means of investigating and prosecuting crimes affecting the monetary pursuits of the EU.
On Thursday, the European Parliament showed it had gained the request and in an instant began the essential process. But it might take a number of weeks prior to the Parliament come to a decision whether or not to raise immunity from the 2 MEPs.
Kaili, who is lately imprisoned on fees of cash laundering and corruption associated with alleged bills she and 3 others gained from Qatar, has denied any wrongdoing — and so has Qatar.
In reaction to the European leader prosecutor’s request, Spyraki mentioned, as quoted by means of Politico: “I gladly accept the request to waive my immunity in order to show that I do not have a single euro of financial dispute with the European Parliament.
“The subject issues the allowance of a overseas former colleague of mine who had a major private downside and was once absent for a while from the European Parliament. I haven’t any reference to Qatargate, I haven’t any reference to every other case.”
