Another EP deputy arrested for corruption

Marc Tarabella, the Belgian Member of the European Parliament (EP), was arrested in the investigation of corruption and money laundering carried out in Belgium.

The Brussels public prosecutor’s office announced that Tarabella, whose immunity was lifted last week in the EP vote, was detained by Belgian police. In addition, it was reported that Tarabella’s safe was opened in a bank in the city of Liège and raids were carried out in some offices.

The Belgian parliamentarian, accused of accepting bribes in exchange for defending the interests of foreign states in the European Parliament, is expected to appear before the investigating judge.

In the days when the investigation began in December, Tarabella’s house was also searched, without results. Tarabella was accused of accepting bribes of about 140,000 euros from the Italian Antonio Panzeri, a former EP deputy who was arrested and confessed in the corruption investigation.

THE INVESTIGATION OF THE CORRUPTION THAT SHAPED EUROPE

As part of the investigation of corruption, bribery and money laundering carried out by the Belgian authorities, in December 2022 searches were carried out at many points, 1.5 million euros in cash were seized and 4 people were arrested.

The detainees were announced to be Greek MEP Eva Kaili, whose EP vice-president was sacked, Italian former EP MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili’s boyfriend Francesco Giorgi, who was working as an EP assistant, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, director of the non-governmental organization that works for the rule of law. Figa-Talamanca was released later.

Giorgi was alleged to have said in his statement that two MEPs, Andrea Cozzolino and Marc Tarabella, received money from Panzeri. The president of the EP, Roberta Metsola, started the process to lift the immunity of Cozzolino and Tarabella.

These people were alleged to have accepted bribes from a Gulf country to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament. Qatar, which was mentioned in the news on the matter, denied the allegations. Later in the news, it was claimed that Morocco bribed these people as well and that Moroccan intelligence and the Moroccan ambassador in Warsaw, Abderrahim Atmoun, met with the suspects. (AA)