Eva Kaili defends before the judge that she did not accept bribes from Qatar and asks for probation

BRUSELAS, 22 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The defense of the Greek MEP Eva Kaili, dismissed as vice-president of the European Parliament for her accusation in the plot of bribes paid by Qatar, has requested this Thursday before the judge her probation with an electronic bracelet since, her lawyers maintain, she is collaborating with the investigation and did not participate in the corrupt network.

The Brussels Court of First Instance held Kaili's first hearing early this Thursday, who appears a week after other defendants after requesting a postponement, and it is expected that throughout the day she will decide whether the Greek socialist should remain in pretrial detention or you can change your situation.

In statements to the press at the Palace of Justice in Brussels, one of his lawyers, André Risopoulos, has reported that they have requested the "telematic surveillance regime" for Kaili and that it remains to wait for the decision of the Belgian Justice.

The lawyer has also stated that his client "rejects all the charges of corruption" against him and that he is "actively participating" in the investigation, although he has refused to give more details of the hearing held behind closed doors, annoyed by the leaks of the case that has been reported to the press and that the Belgian Prosecutor's Office is investigating.

According to details of the investigation published during the week by the newspaper 'Le Soir', Kaili has already admitted to investigators that she asked her father to hide part of the thousands of euros that were in her home, although she denies having participated in the organization. criminal who moved the bribes.

The fact that Kailli's father agreed to take cash in a suitcase to the Sofitel hotel where he was staying in the European quarter was what allowed the Police to act to arrest the Greek MEP despite her parliamentary immunity since it was considered that he was in flagrante delicto. Kailli has been dismissed as vice president of the European Parliament but she retains her seat.

Kaili is accused of belonging to a criminal organization, corruption and money laundering, as are her partner, the Italian MEP assistant Francesco Giorgi, and the former socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, both in pretrial detention. She is also on probation with a fourth defendant.

Giorgi, for whom the Court confirmed provisional detention on the 14th, confessed before the investigating judge his participation in an organization that allegedly received bribes from Qatar and Morocco to gain political and economic weight in the EU through its influence in the European Parliament.