Pier Antonio Panzeri, the main defendant in the scandal involving Qatar, Morocco and some representatives of the European Union, pleaded guilty this week and said he will “tell everything” to authorities with the goal of receiving a reduced sentence. The politician, who was arrested just over a month ago, indicated that he will say which countries and people were involved in this criminal organization.
One of the former legislator’s lawyers European Union He stressed that he “accepted having participated in acts of corruption”, in addition to stating that “he participated in a criminal organization and that if the definition given by the tax office is followed, he also admits to being the leader of such a group.” In this way, Panzeri is expected to give more information about the case that could implicate the former vice president of the organization of the Old Continent, Eva Kaili; her partner, Francesco Giorgi, and the lobbyist Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.
During the searches carried out in December by the Belgian Police, the country that is carrying out this case that worries the European Union, seized more than 1.5 million euros in cash in various apartments, houses and hotel rooms. To avoid having to serve a harsh sentence, the politician decided to speak out against his former colleagues by using a law that had only been executed once in the European country and that it was modeled on an Italian norm for mafiosi who become witnesses for the State.
In exchange for his freedom, he must ratify before the authorities how the criminal operation worked, the financial agreements made in which there were countries involved and all the people involved, both those who gave the bribes and those who were bribed. Panzeri’s wife and daughter are involved in the case and could be extradited, although they are currently under house arrest.
The case
The whole case began after the Belgian Police made a move against some high-ranking people in government organization and lobby groups from the Old Continent, among which was Panzeri, who had previously been a legislator.
The countries involved were Qatar, which seeks to have a more positive image in the West and denies any kind of intervention in European legislation, and Morocco, which conceals its participation, but the security forces in charge of the case indicated that they were interested in better fishing rights and support from the agency in the dispute against the breakaway state of Sahara EITHERwestern.
