Eva Kaili, the former vice president of the European Parliament, has expressed her concerns regarding the safety of political figures in Belgium, particularly Italians, amidst an ongoing corruption investigation involving ex-EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini. Kaili, who is currently in Abu Dhabi, shared her thoughts during an interview with La Stampa.
Concerns over political integrity
Kaili stated that she was “shocked” yet not surprised by the investigation, which scrutinizes whether a public tender from the European External Action Service was manipulated to favor the College of Europe in the establishment of the EU Diplomatic Academy. Mogherini, now serving as the rector of the College, along with former foreign service chief Stefano Sannino, was questioned as part of the inquiry but has since been released from custody.
In her remarks, Kaili framed the investigation as part of a broader “operation targeting Italy,” arguing that such actions undermine political careers before any concrete evidence has been established, thus threatening the rule of law. She emphasized that the timing and implications of the investigation raise serious questions about the integrity of political processes in the country.
Parallel to Qatargate
Drawing a direct comparison between her legal troubles and Mogherini’s situation, Kaili characterized the current probe as a continuation of the Qatargate scandal, in which she was embroiled. She contended that the accusations against her were misinterpreted from the beginning, insisting that what prosecutors labeled as illicit foreign influence was, in fact, standard parliamentary diplomacy supported by private NGO funding.
“Nearly three years later, no formal charges have been filed against me, and much of the evidence remains largely circumstantial,” Kaili remarked.
Kaili served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) starting in 2014 and held the position of Parliament vice president from January to December 2022, when her arrest on preliminary charges of corruption, money laundering, and participation in a criminal organization took place as part of the Qatargate investigation into foreign influence in Brussels.