Former EP deputy president and ‘Qatargate’ star Kaili released from house arrest

Former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili, one of the main suspects in the EP corruption investigation, is no longer under house arrest. The Belgian prosecutor’s office, quoted by the Politico website on Thursday, confirmed an earlier AFP report on the matter.

“The investigation no longer requires her detention,” the prosecutor’s office said in a brief press release.

Kaili’s Belgian lawyer, Sven Mary, told Politico that he did not know if there were any conditions for lifting house arrest against Kaili. If there are conditions tied to [her release], I will put down a request to lift every condition,” he said.

Kaili was one of the first detainees last December, when Belgian police launched raids as part of a wide-ranging investigation into whether other countries, including Qatar and Morocco, were bribing MEPs.

#Kaili release order: "investigation no longer requires her imprisonment".

The week, MEP Tarabella, who's also still part of the investigation, was spotted back in the European Parliament.

Could we see @EvaKaili back at work soon?#Qatargate case appears to be falling apart. pic.twitter.com/Dcvtk72ktV

— Jack Parrock (@jackeparrock) May 25, 2023

After her detention had been extended several times, she was moved from prison to house arrest with an electronic bracelet in mid-April, pending trial. After her removal, Kaili will be allowed to move freely.

Back in 2016, Kaili accused the Polish government of taking “an alarming authoritarian turn”. The former Vice President of EP, who has now clearly lost her credibility, claimed the Polish government supposedly “crippled the functioning” of the Polish Constitutional Court through its changes in the judiciary.

She also accused Poland of “speedily pushing through a media reform that renders directors of public TV and radio directly responsible to the Government by changing the appointment procedure and depriving the supervisory council of its powers.”