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Belgium's investigation into alleged corruption in the European Parliament is "very worrying", EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday

Josep Borel Fonteles is a Spanish politician from the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, referring to the checks and arrests related to the alleged giving of money and gifts by Qatar, Reuters reports.

Prosecutors searched 16 homes and seized €600,000 in Brussels on Friday as part of the investigation.

Since then, four people have been charged and two have been released, prosecutors said in a statement on Sunday.

However, they have not yet officially named any of the suspects.

The European Parliament announced at the weekend that it had suspended the powers and duties of one of its vice presidents, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, in view of the Belgian investigation.

"Certainly the news is very worrying," Borrell told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

"We are facing some events, some facts that definitely worry me as a former president of the European Parliament," he added.

A corruption scandal involving a lot of money from Qatar broke out in the European Parliament

The European Parliament was due to vote this week on a proposal to extend visa-free travel to the EU for citizens of Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador.

Some MPs suggested that the debate and the vote be postponed, BNR notes.

Josep Borrell

European Parliament

corruption

corruption scandal