The former vice president of the European Parliament will soon be under house arrest – perhaps even from tomorrow – Eva Kyliefollowing the unexpected decision by investigator Michel Clez yesterday, the day before the pre-trial hearing in Brussels, to order her release under “electronic surveillance”.

In fact, the hearing took place this morning officially, while her lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos was in Haren Prison, where Eva Kylie has been held for the past four months, and had a two-hour meeting with her.

In his statements to correspondents in Brussels, Mr. Dimitrakopoulos stated that there are now irrefutable elements in the case file that prove the innocence of the MEP and mainly concern “impromptu bundles of money found in her house, where no fingerprints were found” . like he said. For her lawyer, this is also the “strongest proof” of her innocence.

The 44-year-old politician was the latest figure in a corruption scandal that remained in Haren prisons for about four months, and according to Mr. Dimitrakopoulos, this is due to the Belgian procedural system, which, as he emphasized, is based on the “law of confession”.

“He came out recently because he did not accept the advice and exhortations of various people to admit his guilt. She did not agree to sign because she is innocent,” M. Dimitrakopoulos emphasized, while stating on behalf of his client that she is now ready to help the investigator Michel Klez, as well as the federal prosecutor, with what she knows as the investigation of the corruption scandal so far still not completed.

According to her lawyer, the next “battle” is to prove her innocence. M. Dimitrakopoulos also noted that the testimony of the former MEP, the alleged “organizer” of the scandal, Pier Antonio Panzeri, regarding the Greek MEP is unreliable.

“It’s a vulgar tale,” Mr. Dimitrakopoulos said characteristically, recalling that Pancheri spoke of Kylie immediately after signing a cooperation agreement with the judiciary last January in exchange for a reduced sentence. Then, the Greek lawyer said, Mr Panzeri stated that “he probably heard that Eva Kylie received money for the European elections in the summer of 2019.” “However, there is overwhelming evidence that this did not happen on a certain date,” Mr. Dimitrakopoulos said.

Pancheri released from prison

Pier Antonio Pancheri was released this morning from the Saint-Gilles prison in Brussels, a week after the relevant decision of the Belgian authorities. It is recalled that the head of the NGO “Struggle against Impunity”, within the framework of an agreement on cooperation with the justice authorities of January last year – in exchange for a mitigation of punishment – presented evidence that led to the arrest of the Belgian MEP Mark Tarabella, but also the Italian Andrea Catsolino, while he is also said to have presented evidence in favor of Eva Kylie’s guilt.

It is recalled that Eva Kaili was arrested on December 9 on her own charges, accused of participating in a criminal organization, corruption and money laundering, while the case revealed a system of bribery with “large sums of money” from countries such as Qatar and Morocco, which were allegedly used to to influence the relevant decisions of the European Parliament.

The so-called Cathargate scandal dealt a big “blow” to the Eurogroup of Socialists, since the accused were former and current members of it.

Meanwhile, the Italian authorities have not yet made a decision on the extradition of the Italian MEP Andrea Coccolino, as they request additional information before fulfilling the request of the Belgian justice.