The fall of the Greek MEP Eva Kaili is huge. As a former TV presenter, thesocial democrat was seen as one of the most glamorous members of the EuropeanParliament. As one of fourteen Vice Presidents, she was also one of the mostinfluential. But on Friday she was arrested by the Belgian police on suspicionof bribery by Qatar. And on Monday, all her own assets and those of her closerelatives were frozen by the Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Kaili, 44, tried to represent Qatar’sinterests after taking money from the wealthy Gulf state. She had visitedthere the day before her arrest without informing the European Parliament.Police found bags full of cash in her apartment. Four others have also beenarrested, including her Italian husband Francesco Giorgi, the former assistantto former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who has also been charged.
Youngest MP
Kaili’s arrest has hit Greece like a bombshell. As a former TV presenter, shehas celebrity status. She studied architecture before presenting the weekendnews on the commercial channel Mega TV. She entered politics at the age of 26.In 2002 she was elected to the municipal council of her hometown Thessalonikifor the social-democratic party Pasok. Five years later, she became theyoungest member of the Greek Parliament.
In 2012 she had to give up her parliamentary seat to then Pasok leaderEvangelos Venizelos, who came from the same constituency of Thessaloniki.After that, she decided to focus on European politics. In 2014 she was electedto the European Parliament, where she joined the Social Democratic group.
She made a name for herself in the field of digital business and newtechnology. In January, she was elected one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of theEuropean Parliament. In that position she was responsible for relations withthe Middle East.
To secure that position, she sought the support of Greece’s governing NewDemocracy party, which is a member of the conservative group in the EuropeanParliament. For example, she broke with the party line by supporting theconservative candidate as the new secretary of parliament. This led tointernal criticism from the social-democratic group. And when spyware wasfound on the mobile phone of MEP and Pasok leader Nikos Androulakis, shedownplayed it.
Praise for Qatar
Her position on Qatar also led to amazement and criticism. When the EuropeanParliament passed a resolution last month calling on Qatar and FIFA tocompensate the families of workers who suffered while building the stadiums,Kaili broke the faction line again.
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“The World Cup proves how sports diplomacy can bring about a historictransformation of a country,” said Kaili. She called Qatar “a forerunner inthe field of labor rights”.
As a result, Kaili had a difficult relationship with her party leaderAndroulakis, who immediately distanced herself from her after her arrest. “Iwill not tolerate people who harm the party,” he said. She was immediatelyexpelled from Pasok and from the Social Democratic group of the EuropeanParliament. Androulakis: “New Democracy used her as a Trojan horse, and nowthey pretend not to know her.” The party reacted strongly to this: it accusedthe Pasok leader of “political insolence”.
The ruling New Democracy party uses ‘Qatargate’ to divert attention from thespyware scandal in which it is embroiled. That scandal has poisoned politicalrelations in Greece. Every week the Greek media comes with new revelationsabout spying on politicians, journalists, entrepreneurs. And elections arescheduled for next year. Despite the spyware scandal, polls suggest NewDemocracy will remain the largest party, with Pasok possibly as kingmaker incoalition formation. But after Qatargate, Androulakis has ruled outcooperation with New Democracy.