THE Eva Kaili she was arrested at noon on December 9, 2022 in her apartment on rue Wirtz in the heart of Brussels and, some twenty-four hours later, she was taken to the Arenes prison, where she remains in custody to this day.

In one of her recent appearances before the judicial council on whether or not to extend her pre-trial detention, Belgian judges gave her lawyers a 16-page document from the Directorate of Serious Organized Crime.

It quoted in italics her phone conversations with her sister and father between 24 December and 8 January, which were recorded by the Belgian authorities and included in italics in the case file Qatargate.

“Take the USB (stick) that is next to the mirror

The content of the conversations reveals Kaili’s anxiety about the outcome of the case in which she is accused, while collusions are revealed about renting real estate, so that they can cover their financial needs.

“Eva is thinking of renting an apartment in Kolonaki in order to have an income,” the document states.

Eva and Madalena Kaili are still talking about the need to close or rename their companies of interest: “They will change the name of the company Madegroup to Hard, they will also change their headquarters”, note the Belgian police.

Also under discussion is the possibility of closing the Real Estate company with the name “Aria” that Kaili and Georgie had recently jointly established in the center of Athens.

In a conversation with her father on the evening of December 27, the latter “expresses regret that he made a panic move by taking the suitcase”, while they joke that it is like watching a “dark movie with themselves in the lead role”.

Of course, there are no shortage of references to the daughter of the Greek MEP, but also to the “immature” as they describe her partner Frasesco Giorgi, whom they say is “bent by fear” and that he was “playing with fire”.

Some conversations raise questions and suspicions, without it being clear whether or not they have a criminal interest. For example, Eva and Madalena talk about when they will contact the minister on the issue of “Stergios” without clarifying what it is about, while on the morning of January 8, Eva Kaili is heard giving her sister instructions in order to locate “there where there is a mirror” an old mobile device and some USBs which he describes as “important”.

“How is it possible that these conversations are related to the case, when they took place after Kaylee’s arrest and while she knows that her communications through the prison phone are monitored?” Mr. Dimitrakopoulos commented to “K”. He also observed that the choice of the Belgian authorities to monitor the MEP’s conversations is evidence that sufficient evidence against her was not obtained during the months-long investigation.

The Belgian Sven Marie also made an indirect reference to the issue: “We need to know that all her phone conversations are recorded and the police are listening to them,” he said characteristically. He also said that Kaili continues to be held on the grounds that otherwise she would try to destroy evidence.

“In Doha we agreed to get money for the elections”

On January 24, Italian former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, a central figure in the so-called Qatargate, gave a statement from a secret location to Belgian prosecutors. It is alleged that he revealed to them unknown information about the scandal that came to light at the beginning of December and shocked the European Parliament.

It was preceded by his decision to enter into a plea deal with Belgian prosecutors in order to receive favorable criminal treatment. The Italian judges, moreover, had accepted the request for the extradition to Belgium of his wife Maria Colleoni and their daughter Silvia, who were held under a Belgian warrant, while his main co-accused pointed to him as the central figure in the case.

A month later, La Repubblica, Le Soir, Knack and “K” reveal the contents of Pantseri’s confession, at least as far as the Greek MEP Eva Kaili is concerned. So what did the Italian former MEP say?

That Kaili’s election campaign for the May 2019 European elections was financed by Qatar with the amount of 250,000 euros. “There was a meeting in Doha in March or April 2019,” Pancheri begins, listing the names of four more attendees.

Among them is the also accused Andreas Cotsolinos. “For Eva, I can’t remember if she was there anymore, but I think she was present, without being able to be 100% sure. But the decision made in relation to the money for the candidates included Eva Kaili. I am sure that at the end of that meeting, the Qataris decided to finance the election campaigns of the three (including Kaili), Cotsolinos and another candidate with 250,000 euros. Yes, that happened.”

This mention of Pancheri is not unrelated to the events of that period. While still head of the European Parliament sub-committee on human rights, the Italian politician had signed a cooperation agreement with the corresponding human rights committee of Qatar. It provided for closer cooperation between the two sides, the organization of annual conferences and the exchange of experience and know-how. His close associate and partner of Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi, was reportedly also present at the signing of the agreement in Doha. The first conference was organized in 2019 and had the theme of fighting impunity or, in English, Fight Impunity, just like the name of the Non-Governmental Organization that Pancheri founded after leaving the European Parliament. A second conference followed in 2020 in Doha, with the vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili in the role of coordinator.

“Indefinite References”

“K” contacted the Greek advocate of Eva Kailis, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, who characterized Pantseri’s reports as vague and questioned the reliability of his claims. “He mentions that the meeting took place in 2019 in Qatar, but that he does not remember if Kaili participated in it. And that afterwards he himself found out that money was given to her and to two other MEPs”. According to Mr. Dimitrakopoulos, this report cannot be taken as confirmation that the Greek MEP actually received money from Qatar to finance her election campaign. But even if this were the case, the Greek criminologist observed, then the offense is under the jurisdiction of the Greek and not the Belgian Courts.
Eva Kaili’s Belgian lawyer, Sven Marie, also tried to question Pantseri’s credibility in interviews with Greek media. “Pantseri with his lies has become the reason for Eva Kaili to be in prison. Before he became a whistleblower, everything he said was considered a lie. Now, he says whatever the investigator, the prosecutor and the cops want to hear. And from that moment he is considered reliable,” he said in a televised interview.