Another deputy detained in a corruption investigation linked to PE
According to Italian press reports, Italian police acted at the request of Belgian authorities to arrest Cozzoloni, who is among those accused of providing economic benefits in exchange for defending the interests of foreign states in the EP.
Police, who went to Cozzolino’s home in Naples last night, were said to have been unable to find the Italian MP here, and then detained him as he was leaving a clinic.
It was recorded that police and prosecutors searched Cozzolino’s house in Brussels yesterday. It was claimed that the office of the Italian MP in the EP was also sealed off.
Before Cozzolino, the Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella was also arrested yesterday. A bank safe owned by Tarabella was opened and searches were made in the offices used by the Belgian parliamentarian.
Former Italian EP deputy Antonio Panzeri, arrested and confessed in the corruption investigation, accused both deputies of accepting bribes.
Cozzolino and Tarabella, whose AP immunity was lifted last week, deny the charges.
CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION
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.
It was alleged that these individuals 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.
In later 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)