Belgian MEP’s residence raided in Qatar scandal probe – POLITICO

Belgian police searched the house of socialist MEP Marc Tarabella on Saturday night time in connection to the Qatar corruption scandal that has rocked the European Parliament.

The raid at Tarabella’s residence got here after European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili was arrested on Friday in reference to the probe into alleged illicit lobbying actions by Qatari officers. Kaili was suspended from her position as vp on Saturday. She was charged with corruption on Sunday, Belgian media reported.

Belgian S&D lawmaker Tarabella is vice chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula and co-chair of the establishment’s sports activities group.

“I’ve completely nothing to cover and I’ll reply all of the questions of the investigators, that goes with out saying, if that may assist them to make clear this affair,” Tarabella mentioned in a press release to POLITICO. “The justice system goes by way of its technique of information-gathering and investigating, which I discover utterly applicable.”

Investigators seized pc gear in the course of the search of Tarabella’s residence, Belgian outlet Le Soir reported.

Tarabella was not arrested.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was current in the course of the search, in keeping with Belgian regulation, her spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.

Final month, Tarabella informed POLITICO that he was “satisfied” that Qatar has turn out to be “a good example to comply with for the opposite nations within the neighborhood” due to internet hosting the World Cup, which is ongoing within the Gulf nation.  

Metsola’s spokesperson added that the Parliament and its president stand “firmly towards corruption, are actively and absolutely cooperating with regulation enforcement and judicial authorities to help the course of justice.”