The investigation into alleged corruption involving Qatar is widening: the European Parliament announced on Monday 2 January that it had launched a ” emergency procedure “ to lift, at the request of the Belgian judicial authorities, the immunity of two MEPs.
Qatar suspected of corruption in the European Parliament: understand everything about the investigation that agitates Brussels
The elected officials concerned are the Italian Andrea Cozzolino and the Belgian Marc Tarabella, both belonging to the S&D group (Social Democrats), we learned from sources familiar with the matter. They are targeted as part of the investigation which led Belgian investigators to arrest on December 9 a vice-president of the institution, the Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili.
The latter’s companion, the Italian Francesco Giorgi, who was also Andrea Cozzolino’s parliamentary assistant, was also among those arrested, as was the former Italian socialist MEP Pier-Antonio Panzeri, and a manager of NGO, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.
“Bags of tickets” at Eva Kaili
These four personalities, placed in pre-trial detention, have been charged with “belonging to a criminal organization”, “money laundering” and ” corruption “ for the benefit of Qatar, in a scandal that caused shock waves in the European Parliament and tensions between the Gulf emirate and the EU.
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Eva Kaili did not benefit from her parliamentary immunity because the offense had been found in flagrante delicto, “bags of tickets” being discovered in his apartment. She was stripped of her title of Vice-President of the European Parliament on December 13 by an almost unanimous vote of MEPs.
In Belgium, the investigation gave rise to twenty searches between December 9 and 12, including within the European Parliament. The home of Marc Tarabella had been searched on December 10 in this context, according to a judicial source.
“There will be no impunity”
In total, the Belgian investigators had got their hands on 1.5 million euros in cash, according to a judicial source, seized from the homes of Pier-Antonio Panzeri and Eva Kaili, as well as in a suitcase transported by the her father.
“Qatargate”: 10 things to know about Michel Claise, the Belgian judge who tracks the cash
“Responding to a request from the Belgian judicial authorities, I launched an urgent procedure to lift the immunity of two members of Parliament. There will be no impunity, absolutely none”said on Monday on Twitter the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
“Officials will find this Parliament on the side of the law. Corruption cannot pay, and we will do everything to fight it”, she also said. Roberta Metsola will formally communicate this request to MEPs during their next plenary session, which will begin on January 16 in Strasbourg.
Conclusion of the procedure on February 13
The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) will then have to examine it, behind closed doors, possibly organize hearings, and pronounce a proposal for a decision, which will ultimately be voted on by all MEPs in plenary.
The President of Parliament “asked all services and commissions to give priority to this procedure, with a view to its conclusion on February 13”the statement said.
“Since the start of this case, Marc Tarabella has repeated that he is at the disposal of justice and has even asked to be heard quickly in order to be able to defend himself”reacted on Monday his lawyer, Maxim Töller, in a statement sent to AFP.
“He also said that he would not hide behind his parliamentary immunity, having nothing to reproach himself for. He therefore supports his waiver of immunity if it is requested.he added.
Suspended from the S&D parliamentary group
As of December 12, the S&D parliamentary group decided to suspend Andrea Cozzolino from his responsibility as coordinator, while Marc Tarabella himself suspended his membership of the group.
“If the embezzlement is proven, we will terminate the membership of the persons concerned. S&D, which supports the ongoing investigation, will file a civil action and consider legal proceedings” against those involved, the group said in a statement at the time.
In the process, the two MEPs had also been suspended by their respective national parties, the Belgian Socialist Party and the Italian Democratic Party.
The latter had announced on December 16 to suspend “as a preventive measure” Andrea Cozzolino from the register of its members, “until the closure of the ongoing investigations into the ‘Qatargate’ scandal”in order to “protect the image of the party”.
