Marc Tarabella, in Brussels on February 2 YVES HERMAN (REUTERS)
Qatargate continues to expand its brand through the European Parliament. The judge responsible for investigating the alleged bribery scandal in favor of countries such as Qatar or Morocco in the euro room this Saturday ordered the preventive arrest of Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella, whom he accuses of corruption, money laundering and the belong to organizational criminals, as a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service confirms. Another MEP, Italian Andrea Cozzolino, has been detained in Italy since Friday under an international arrest warrant issued by Brussels for the same corruption case that shocked European institutions.
Four Qatargate suspects are already in custody, along with Tarabella. Since the scandal broke two months ago, Eva Kaili, also a member of the European Parliament and former parliamentary vice-president, her partner and parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi and former Italian MP Pier Antonio Panzeri have also been arrested. A fourth defendant, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, director of an NGO affiliated with Panzeri, was released but also faces charges of corruption and money laundering.
Italian Andrea Cozzolino could soon be on the list. Belgian criminal investigators arrived at his home in Brussels on Friday to arrest him for questioning like Tarabella, but the socialist MEP was in Italy at a hospital in Naples to be treated for an illness. Despite this, Belgian prosecutors confirmed on Saturday that the parliamentarian, who like Tarabella has publicly denied his involvement in his friend Panzeri’s bribery scheme, had been arrested the day before after an international arrest warrant was issued. According to prosecutors, his more or less immediate appearance before the Belgian courts now depends on Cozzolino agreeing to be deported to testify in Brussels, which could delay the whole process, although the politician has always guaranteed that he is ready for speaking to the authorities. judicial.
The possibility of their arrest had been awaited since the European Parliament voted on February 2 to waive their immunity in an accelerated trial at the behest of the Belgian judiciary, which has taken action against the two since the scandal erupted on December 9. focused. In fact, two months ago, police had already searched Tarabella’s house as part of an operation that led to Belgian authorities seizing up to €1.5 million in cash hidden in suitcases and wallets found at Kaili’s addresses. and Panzeri had been found. In the case of Tarabella, the agents only took computer equipment.
This Friday, the police again raided the premises of the Belgian MEP, this time in several offices of the municipal council of Anthisnes, a town about 120 kilometers from Brussels of which he is mayor, and in a safe in his name in a feudal bank. office in the seat of the European Parliament in Brussels, such as the one in Cozzolino.
It is not known if the new operation contains evidence of Tarabella’s involvement in the plot, as stated by Qatargate chief Pier Antonio Panzeri. The former Italian MP signed an agreement with the Belgian courts in mid-January to expose the entire bribery plot in exchange for a reduced sentence. The pact also freed his wife and daughter, who were held in Italy awaiting extradition. As reported in the Belgian press, Panzeri assured that he paid Tarabella up to 140,000 euros for making policies and speeches in favor of Qatar in the European Parliament ahead of the World Cup that took place in this Gulf state late last year. The Belgian has publicly denied these accusations.
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In the Cozzolino case, the Belgian judiciary suspects the Italian’s friendship with Panzeri and the hiring of Francesco Giorgi as a parliamentary assistant, who also worked with the former deputy and who has also admitted to being fully involved in the bribery scheme. In addition, until the outbreak of Qatargate, Cozzolino chaired the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries. In addition to Qatar, the Belgian judiciary also wants to know to what extent Morocco is involved in the corruption plan of high European representatives.
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
