According to Greek media reports, the hearing of Eva Kaili on her involvement in the Qatar scandal has been postponed to December 22.
It is still unknown whether she will remain in custody until then, while well-informed sources say that the accused did not attend today's hearing.
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Her three co-defendants, however, appeared before judicial authorities.
At 15:30 the court session concluded.
According to earlier reports,the Qatar Gate defendants walked out the back door of the court and there is no information about what was said during the session.
Recall that Eva Kaili, her husband, Francesco Giorgio, the former Italian MEP, Antonio Panjeri, and a fourth person, who has not yet been named, are accused of involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption.
It is noted that Eva Kaili and her husband are represented by different lawyers.
The fact, however, that yesterday, Tuesday (13/12), Eva Kaili was transferred to the state-of-the-art Haren prison from the St. Gilles prison, where she was in custody, is seen by some analysts as a bad omen in view of today's court proceedings.
The session of the judicial council is being held behind closed doors without, according to reports, the presence of Ms Kaili being necessary as the Greek MEP's side was reportedly preparing to ask for a postponement of the decision until next Tuesday, arguing that due to a strike by the police officers' union she could not be transferred from the prisons to the place where the pre-trial council is meeting.
It should be noted that the pre-trial council is made up of people who have never seen the investigation, never seen the paperwork with defense attorneys arguing for their clients.
And the criteria for whether Eva Kaili and the other three people who have been arrested will remain in custody are three.
if they are found to be fugitive suspects,
-if they are found to be suspected of committing the same or similar offenses, and[BR][BR] whether they will be allowed to cover their tracks in order to be acquitted in court.
As for the penalties provided for in the Belgian Penal Code, they are three to five years in prison if the charges are proven, namely both passive bribery - bribery and setting up and participating in a criminal organisation.
The position of Eva Kaili
The MEP herself through her lawyers declares herself innocent and claims that the money found in the house was brought by her partner and, in fact, when she found out, she asked whose it was and after getting the answer it belonged to another person, she asked for it to be removed.
In this context, according to the Greek MEP's side, the money was given to her father and it was this money that was found in his possession outside the Brussels hotel where he was arrested on Friday 9 December before he was finally released.
"When someone has so much money they may not be suspect. He will be judged by the arguments he presents, but thoughts are being raised and that is why he is being held. No one has said they come from Qatar, they have no scent, they could be from Qatar and from another source. If they are from Qatar and linked to Kaili's parliamentary activity it is bribery, if they are not linked it is not a criminal offence, there is no laundering and therefore there is no charge," Eva Kaili's side says.
Documentary photos
Meanwhile, a few hours before the pre-trial council meeting, the Belgian authorities released new photos of the suitcases and boxes in which Eva Kaili and her father had put about 750.000 euros found in their possession.
This is the second photo from the Belgian authorities' investigation to be released, with the first being presented on Tuesday afternoon.
Recall that according to data and photographic material published by the Belgian Le soir in total, more than 1.5 million euros in cash were discovered at the home of former Italian MEP Pierre Antonio Panjeri and Greek MEP Eva Kaili.
During a search of Panjeri's home in Brussels, investigators from the Federal Judicial Police had discovered around 600,000 euros. Adding to the money found in the possession of Kaili's father and at the home of the latter and her partner Francesco Giorgio in Brussels, the massive search revealed more than 1.5 million euros.
Source: protothema.gr
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