Former MEP Antonio Panzeri, one of the European Parliament’s corruption suspects, is about to implicate more MEPs in the scandal, known as ‘Qatargate’, after agreeing to cooperate with the investigation, revealed a lawyer in the case on Tuesday.
“Reports and news are coming in that Panzeri will reveal new names of Italian, German, Belgian and French MEPs,” Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, the lawyer representing another key figure in the case, former Greek MEP Eva Kaili, told the newspaper. Greek television channel. contra.
Panzeri agreed last week, in exchange for a reduced sentence, to cooperate with Belgian prosecutors investigating alleged attempts by Qatar, and apparently Morocco, to influence decisions by European institutions in his favor by paying bribes to MEPs members and officials of the European Parliament (EP).
The lawyer for the former MEP and former Vice-President of the EP believes that Panzeri is “very untrustworthy” and that “he will sign what he is given”, after reaching an agreement with prosecutors, because he only “is interested in saving the woman”. and the daughter”.
In addition to Panzeri, who is imprisoned in Belgium, his wife, Maria Dolores Colleoni, whose extradition has been requested from the Italian judiciary, and his daughter Silvia are also accused of involvement in this alleged bribery case.
The investigation of the Belgian authorities allowed the seizure of suitcases with money totaling 1.5 million euros and four people were charged with the crimes of corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.
In addition to Pier Antonio Panzeri, former MEP and former EP Vice-President Eva Kaili, her adviser and partner Francesco Giorgi and the leader of the non-governmental organization (NGO) “No Peace Without Justice” Niccolo Figa-Talamanca are other names involved at the trial and arrested in Belgium.
The Belgian judiciary also asked for the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of two other MEPs, the Belgian Marc Tarabella and the Italian Andrea Cozzolino.
However, the latter has anticipated that he is willing to waive his judicial immunity, his lawyers announced today to the European Parliament’s Justice Committee.
Source: DN
