Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella has been arrested by the investigating judge on suspicion of corruption, money laundering and gang formation. This is confirmed by the federal prosecutor’s office. Tarabella’s Italian colleague Andrea Cozzolino was placed under house arrest today as part of the same investigation.
Tarabella, elected for the French-speaking socialist party PS but has since been expelled from the party, has been discredited in the well-known ‘Qatargate’ corruption investigation in the European Parliament. Third countries – Qatar and Morocco are mentioned – are said to have tried to influence European decision-making by offering large sums of money or gifts.
Tarabella was already arrested for questioning on Friday. His parliamentary immunity was lifted on 2 February. Now the investigating judge has decided to arrest the politician. He must stay in jail. On Thursday he must appear before the Brussels council chamber, which must decide on his further detention.
Searches have also been carried out. The police raided a bank in Liège on Friday where Tarabella has a safe. Offices of the town hall of Anthisnes, where Tarabella is mayor, also received investigators.
“Word of criminal against word of honest man”
It is through statements made by Regrettator Pier Antonio Panzeri, the central figure in the corruption scandal, that Tarabella has come into the crosshairs of the public prosecutor’s office. According to our sources, the former Italian MEP would have stated during interrogations that the Belgian received a large sum of money: “120,000 euros as a thank you for helping with Qatar-linked files.”
According to his lawyer, Tarabella maintains that he is innocent and there are no new elements that would prove his guilt. “Statements by Mr. Panzeri are the only element against him,” it sounds. “He continues to proclaim his innocence. He says he has never received money or gifts in exchange for a favor,” the lawyer added. “It is the word of a criminal, Panzeri, against the word of a man who has been honest all his life.”
Cozzolino under house arrest
Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino was placed under house arrest today as part of the same investigation. Naples’ appeals court believes the risk of the MEP fleeing is low, the agency AGI reported. He is allowed to leave his home for two hours a day, including to undergo medical treatment, wrote the newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. Cozzolino was arrested yesterday on the basis of a European arrest warrant as he left a hospital in Naples.
The court of appeal set the hearing on the surrender request of the Belgian public prosecutor’s office for Tuesday. Cozzolino’s lawyers said they want to oppose the request on the grounds that the crimes attributed to their client are baseless, according to AGI. The parliamentarian’s immunity was lifted by the European Parliament on 2 February.
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