The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office revealed on Wednesday that the Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino, suspected of being involved in the Catargate case, was accused of “corruption, criminal organization and money laundering”.
The 60-year-old Socialist MEP, whose immunity was lifted in February by the European Parliament, was arrested four months ago in Italy and has since been placed under judicial supervision pending the execution of a European arrest warrant.
Cozzolino is the third MEP accused in the so-called Catargate scandal, which broke out in December 2022 with the discovery, by Belgian investigators, of around 1.5 million euros in cash distributed in several suitcases, during searches carried out in Brussels.
Belgian justice suspects the existence of cash payments in exchange for political decisions or favorable positions for Qatar and Morocco in the European Parliament, which Doha and Rabat deny.
Arriving in Brussels on Monday, Andrea Cozzolino voluntarily presented himself to Belgian authorities and was questioned by police before being brought before the investigating judge, who charged him on Tuesday afternoon and released him under duress, said the Attorney General. in a sentence.
Before Cozzolino, six other suspects had already been charged in this case, including two Socialist MEPs: the Greek Eva Kaili and the Belgian Marc Tarabella.
Cozzolino, who was also excluded from the Socialists and Democrats group in parliament, is suspected of receiving money to promote Moroccan interests within the EU’s only elected institution.
The Federal Public Ministry has already announced that it expects the investigation to conclude by the end of this year.
Source: TSF
