Ex-vice president of European Parliament released from prison, put under house arrest

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Former Greek vice president of the European Parliament was released from prison on Friday after four months and put under house arrest.

"My daughter is waiting for me, I am very happy that soon I will be with her," Eva Kaili, who is obliged to wear an electronic bracelet, told reporters through the window of a car that took her home, according to Italian state-run ANSA news agency.

"We will talk soon," she added.

The release of Kaili was decided on Wednesday.

The EU has been shaken by one of the biggest corruption scandals in its history after Kaili, a Greek MEP, was arrested on Dec. 9 by Belgian police on corruption charges.

Kaili, 44, from Greece's center-left PASOK-KINAL party and one of the European Parliament's 14 vice presidents, was arrested after her home was searched on corruption charges allegedly involving Qatar, which was accused of paying Kaili to lobby for the Gulf state's interests.

Also, up to €1.5 million ($1.62 million) in cash was seized by the Belgian police across dozens of home and office searches. In addition, parliamentary computers were also confiscated to protect important data.

Those detained alongside Kaili included Italian European Parliament Deputy Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi, who worked as an assistant in the European Parliament, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the director of the non-governmental organization working on rule of law.