According to a media report, Morocco played a larger role than previously known in the bribery and corruption scandal in the European Parliament. As the “Spiegel” reports with reference to confidential investigative documents, the Moroccan foreign secret service DGED was also involved at the highest level in influencing MEPs.
According to this, the DGED is said to have recruited the two Italian MEPs Pier Antonio Panzeri and Andrea Cozzolino as well as Francesco Giorgi, parliamentary employee and partner of the deposed Vice-President of the EU Parliament, Eva Kaili, as early as 2019. The aim was to influence the social democratic group in the European Parliament.
According to “Spiegel”, Abderrahim Atmun, currently Morocco’s ambassador to Poland, was responsible for leading the trio. In addition, the three Italians are said to have had direct contact with the Director General of the secret service, Mohamed Yassine Mansouri.
The news magazine quotes Belgian government circles as saying that Morocco has recently shown its commitment to issues such as fishing rights and Western Sahara, which is largely controlled by Rabat.
Panzeri, Kaili and Giorgi are currently in custody. They are accused of “criminal organization, corruption and money laundering”. The Gulf Emirate of Qatar is said to have tried to influence the policies of the European Union. Qatar denies any wrongdoing. (AFP)
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