The European chief prosecutor asked on Thursday that the European Parliament lift the immunity from prosecution of two Greek MEPs, one of whom is involved in the corruption scandal currently shaking the European Union’s only directly elected legislative body.
In a statement, the prosecutor’s office said its request followed a report from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) regarding “suspicion of fraud detrimental to the EU budget, in relation to the management of the parliamentary allowance.” The request concerns, in particular, money paid to parliamentary assistants.
The two MEPs involved are socialist Eva Kaili, who was recently stripped of the role of European Parliament’s Vice President over her alleged involvement in 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 said. It’s not yet known if the prosecutor’s office request is linked to the ongoing corruption probe.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office was created to protect EU taxpayers’ money by investigating and prosecuting crimes affecting the financial interests of the EU.
On Thursday, the European Parliament confirmed it had received the request and immediately started the necessary procedure. But it could take several weeks before the Parliament decide whether to lift immunity from the two MEPs.
Kaili, who’s currently imprisoned on charges of money laundering and corruption related to alleged payments she and three others received from Qatar, has denied any wrongdoing — and so has Qatar.
In response to the European chief prosecutor’s request, Spyraki said, as quoted by 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 matter concerns the allowance of a foreign former colleague of mine who had a serious personal problem and was absent for some time from the European Parliament. I have no connection with Qatargate, I have no connection with any other case.”
