Eva Kaili judge orders review of whether Belgian spies’ role was lawful

A Brussels judge on Tuesday (24 September) called to review whether secret service evidence used against Eva Kaili is legal, in a twist likely to delay proceedings in the long-running corruption case against the former Greek MEP.  

Kaili, formerly vice-President of the European Parliament, was arrested in December 2022, and charged with participation in a criminal organisation and money laundering, after an investigation into a cash-for-favours scheme that allegedly sought to influence EU policymaking.  

Kaili has denied the charges, and her legal team has issued a number of challenges to the case against her – not least given the legal immunity she enjoyed as an MEP 

“It’s a very important and extraordinary decision that the appeal court made,” Sven Mary, Kaili’s lawyer, told Euronews in a statement, adding that the finding could open a “new Pandora’s box” about the role Belgian secret service played. 

The ruling, seen by Euronews, calls for Committee R, an independent body which oversees the work of Belgian intelligence, to review the legality of “specific and exceptional methods” used in the case.  

That’s likely to take a number of months to arrive – though a separate legal bid by Kaili to reshuffle the timetable for the paperwork in the case was deemed inadmissible.  

The order follows multiple allegations from Kaili’s legal team, including that there were irregularities in the decision to strip her parliamentary immunity, and that investigator Michel Claise should have recused himself due to ties between his son and another suspect. 

Kaili, released from prison in April 2023, is no longer an MEP and now lives in Italy and Greece.  

Laura Vandormael contributed reporting.