Corruption scandal: Panzeri admits guilt and signs deal to cooperate

Pier Antonio Panzeri, the previous MEP suspected of being on the epicentre of the corruption scandal engulfing the European Parliament, on Tuesday struck a cope with the Belgian authorities beneath which he admits his legal participation in bribery and pledges to share “revealing” info that may assist make clear the widening investigation.

Panzeri has signed a so-called “repentance settlement” to deepen his collaboration with authorities, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Workplace has introduced, calling it an “vital growth.”

“This (deal) refers to an endeavor whereby a repentant to make substantial, revealing, truthful and full statements relating to the involvement of third events and, if relevant, his or her personal involvement relating to legal offenses throughout the lined case,” the prosecutor’s workplace stated in a press launch.

Below the memorandum, Panzeri commits to sharing particulars such because the modus operandi of the alleged corruption ring, monetary agreements with different international locations, and the id of stakeholders and “identified and unknown” people who “he admits to having bribed.”

The probe is trying into a possible cash-for-favour scheme involving “massive sums of cash” paid by a rustic within the Persian Gulf, broadly recognized as Qatar, with the goal to affect the European Union’s policy-making.

Morocco has in latest weeks emerged as an alleged participant within the graft operation.

Each Qatar and Morocco vigorously deny the allegations.

Panzeri to obtain ‘five-year sentence’

For the reason that scandal erupted final month, leaked confessions and media stories have steered that Panzeri, a three-term Italian socialist who left the parliament in 2019, acted because the prime middleman between the luggage of cash and the hemicycle’s premises.

Over €600,000 in money was reportedly discovered at his dwelling.

Panzeri has been in jail since mid-December, charged with taking part in a legal organisation “as a frontrunner,” cash laundering, and “energetic and passive” corruption.

The opposite three people presently detained are Greek MEP Eva Kaili, her home associate Francesco Giorgi and NGO director Niccolò Figà-Talamanca.

Belgian authorities have requested the lifting of immunity of two extra socialist MEPs: Marc Tarabella (Belgium) and Andrea Cozzolino (Italy).

In line with Belgian media, Panzeri has confessed to handing over €120,000 in money to Tarabella over a number of installments in relation to the latter’s work on Qatar-related points.

Tarabella’s lawyer insists his shopper has by no means accepted any cash or present from Qatar.

Below the cooperation deal, Panzeri will obtain a “restricted sentence” with a nonetheless undefined jail time period, a tremendous and the confiscation of his seized belongings, which the prosecutor estimates to be price a million euros.

“It’s the second time in Belgian authorized historical past, for the reason that introduction of the so-called ‘pentiti’ regulation (pentiti remorse, referring to the Italian regulation permitting investigations into the Mafia), that these proceedings outcome within the signing of a memorandum,” the prosecutor’s workplace stated.

No additional particulars had been supplied within the press launch.

Panzeri’s lawyer, Laurent Kennes, instructed Euronews his shopper would obtain a five-year sentence, however the half that exceeds one 12 months could be “suspended.”

“He should stay in jail or beneath digital surveillance for one 12 months, no extra, no much less,” Kennes stated.

Panzeri may also be slapped with a suspended tremendous of €80,000, with an additional €1 million to be confiscated. 

Who’s Pier Antonio Panzeri?

First elected in 2004, Pier Antoni Panzeri targeted his time as a European legislator on employment, social rights, international affairs, international safety and growth help.

He chaired the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Maghreb international locations from 2009 to 2017. He then grew to become chair of the subcommittee on human rights, a place he held till 2019.

As a former MEP, Panzeri had the precise to a everlasting entry badge to the parliament’s premises.

In September 2019, mere months after the European elections, Panzeri based a non-profit organisation in Brussels known as Battle Impunity, whose acknowledged objective is to “promote the struggle in opposition to impunity for critical violations of human rights and crimes in opposition to humanity.”

Battle Impunity, which doesn’t seem on the EU’s Transparency Register — a database on which people and organisations that attempt to affect the EU’s law-making and coverage implementation course of are purported to be listed — shares the identical deal with as one other NGO, No Peace With out Justice.

Each No Peace With out Justice and Battle Impunity are suspected of being exploited to launder cash.

Belgian authorities imagine Panzeri’s spouse, Maria Dolores Colleoni, and daughter, Silvia Panzeri, had been conscious of the illicit lobbying and have requested their extradition from Italy.

The 2 ladies deny the accusations and have appealed their extradition.