Corruption scandal: Two more MEPs set to have immunity lifted

The European Parliament’s authorized affairs committee on Tuesday voted unanimously to elevate the immunity of Andrea Cozzolino and Marc Tarabella, two MEPs caught up within the corruption scandal rocking Brussels.

The vote by the JURI committee is anticipated to be rubberstamped by all the plenary on Thursday — a step crucial for Belgian authorities to research and doubtlessly cost the 2 males.

Manon Aubry, the co-leader of the Left group within the European Parliament and the rapporteur on Tuesday’s votes, advised journalists the committee vote got here “with out shock” as the 2 MEPs had been keen to have their immunity lifted to facilitate the investigation.

Each MEPs deny any involvement within the illicit lobbying allegedly carried out by Qatar by Morocco that has thus far seen 4 folks arrested and charged for taking part in a felony organisation.

These embody Greek MEP Eva Kaili, her life associate Francesco Giorgi, former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, and NGO director Niccolò Figà-Talamanca.

Cozzolino is an Italian socialist MEP who succeeded Panzeri — the alleged chief of the felony organisation beneath investigation — on the helm of the EU-Morocco parliamentary committee. Belgian MEP Tarabella, additionally from the socialist group, is vice chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Arab peninsula.

Each had been talked about by Panzeri throughout his hearings with a choose since his arrest in early December, in keeping with a confidential doc from the parliament seen by Euronews. 

The previous MEP, the doc states, advised authorities that Cozzolini agreed to attempt to squash resolutions in opposition to Morroco in alternate for €50,000 again in 2019, and that Tarabella acquired between €120,000 and €140,000 in money to help sure positions in favour of Qatar.

Panzeri has struck a take care of Belgian authorities to reveal every thing he is aware of in regards to the scandal and by which he recognised being one of many leaders of the community, in alternate for a extra lenient sentence.