Eva Kaili, Member of European Parliament for PASOK-KINAL, has been terminated as one of the party’s MEPs, it was announced on Friday.
“Following the latest developments and the Belgian authorities’ investigation into corruption of European officials, MEP Eva Kaili is expelled from PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) by decision of party leader Nikos Androulakis,” the party said in its announcement.
The Belgian newspaper Le Soir reports that the authorities have conducted searches in the MEP’s apartment, and have arrested her partner in connection to the scandal.
According to Le Soir, more than fifteen searches were carried out by agents of the Central Office for the Suppression of Corruption in Brussels and four people, considered suspects, were arrested in order to be heard by the investigators led by the examining magistrate Michel Claise.
Among them, newly elected General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation Luca Visentini, the former S&D MEP Pier-Antonio Panzeri, and Eva Kaili.
The latter, 44, a former Greek television presenter and MEP since 2014, was also targeted by investigators, Le Soir and Knack learned. Her home was searched late Friday afternoon and she was taken in for a hearing.
Eva Kaili is one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European hemicycle.
The only way to arrest a parliamentarian protected by their immunity is to catch them in the act.