EU Lawmaker Arrested in Probe of Bribery by Gulf State

Belgian prosecutors arrested at least four suspects, including a lawmaker, after raiding multiple properties across Brussels as part of what they called a “major investigation” into possible bribery of European Parliament officials by an unidentified Gulf nation.

For several months, investigators of the Federal Judicial Police have suspected a Gulf country of trying “to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament,” the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Friday. Eva Kaili, a Greek lawmaker and a vice president of the European Parliament was arrested in connection with the probe, as well as Antonio Panzeri, a former Italian deputy, according to media reports.