The ex-European deputy Pier Antonio Panzeri, one of the central actors in the case, obtained the status of repentant and he continues to be heard by Belgian justice.
By Jean-Pierre Stroobants (Brussels, correspondent)
The Brussels investigating judge Michel Claise, who continues his investigations on “Qatargate”, the corruption scandal which splashes the European Parliament and also implies Morocco, decided, on Saturday, February 11, to place in preventive detention ‘Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella. Even if he claims from the start his innocence, this elected socialist of 59 years, also mayor of Anthisnes, near Liège, was imprisoned in Brussels until Thursday, February 16 at least. He was indicted for “corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization”.
In Naples, Italian police arrested another elected socialist, Andrea Cozzolino on the same day. He was under house arrest pending, on Tuesday, a court decision on his possible extradition to Belgium. The ex-European deputy Pier Antonio Panzeri, main figure of the group, claims to have given Mr. Tarabella paper bags containing a total of 120,000 to 140,000 euros for him to modify his positions on Qatar and the organization from the Football World Cup. The Belgian elected official denies having received money and his lawyer, M e Maxim Töller, deplores by targeting Mr. Panzeri, that “the defamation of a person recognized as head of a criminal organization May provoke such a tsunami and unjustly ensure Mr. Tarabella “.
“The interested and seriously awarded speech of a single person should never be enough to put someone in prison,” said M e töller. Mr. Panzeri admitted to being an active corrupter and obtained from Belgian justice the status of repentant in exchange for complete confessions which will earn him a reduced sentence and a partial stay for the fine of 80,000 euros which will be inflicted on him.
Long questioned in recent weeks he has undoubtedly delivered elements for Mr. Tarabella. The latter, who had severely criticized the organization of a leading sporting event in Qatar, taking into account in particular the working conditions imposed on the World Cup construction sites, had surprised, in November 2022, this time evoking The “progress” made by the emirate concerning workers’ law. He also failed to report, in contravention with the rules of the Parliament, a trip to Doha, paid by Qatar, in 2020.
immunity lifted by Parliament
The plenary assembly of Parliament had voted, on February 2, the lifting of the immunity of the Belgian deputy, as well as that of Andrea Cozzolino, a close to Mr. Panzeri, to whom he succeeded the head of parliamentary bodies in Strasbourg, whose delegation for the Maghreb.
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