The UN is investigating the alleged embezzlement of up to five billion euros (5.6 billion dollars) that disappeared from accounts owned by former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, according to Belgian MP Georges Gilkinet.
"UN documents confirm that Belgium failed to comply with a UN resolution on freezing Libyan assets," he told the Belgian news network RTBF.
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He said that thus far, he had only received fragmentary information from Belgian authorities and that it is necessary "to clarify the situation, which may lead to a big scandal, because hundreds of millions of euros were sent to unknown individuals in Libya who were not known."
RTBF also cited a source as saying on condition of anonymity that over the past seven years, this hefty sum has allegedly been used to "finance a civil war which led to a major migration crisis."
A special UN report, in turn, suggested that the money was received by the Libyan investment authorities, whose complex structure makes it almost impossible to find out what these funds were allocated for.
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"The sum could have been sent to armed groups in Libya, something that further destabilized the region," according to the report.
In Belgium, the probe which is headed by investigator Michel Claise comes amid reports that a portion of Gaddafi's assets could be sent to the Libyan Investment Authority, a sovereign fund.
After the death of Libyan long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the UN ruled that his assets should be frozen in four Belgian banks. However, it turned out later that interests and dividends from these assets have never been blocked.
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The eastern part of the country is governed by the parliament, backed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) and located in Tobruk. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, operates in the country's west and is headquartered in Tripoli. Libya is set to vote in general elections on December 10.
