EU assembly lifts immunity of 2 lawmakers linked to scandal
BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union parliament on Thursday lifted the protective immunity of two lawmakers linked to one of the bloc’s biggest corruption scandals, paving the way for their questioning by Belgian investigators.
In a show of hands, the assembly voted overwhelmingly to lift the parliamentary immunity of Belgian MP Marc Tarabella and Italian MP Andrea Cozzolino. Both men previously said through their lawyers that they were ready to cooperate with the Belgian authorities.
Live television images showed that Tarabella had voted to have his own immunity waived.
The two have denied any links to the scandal, which has accused Qatari and Moroccan officials of offering bribes to influence decisions in the European Parliament. Qatar and Morocco have also vehemently denied any involvement, but the assembly has suspended work on all Qatar-related files.
According to the report drawn up to waive Taraballa’s immunity, a Belgian investigation shows that he “may have been involved in acts of corruption linked to the interference of one or more foreign states aimed at corrupting the debates and decisions of the European Parliament influence. ”
It said that “testimony against him indicates that such payments were made to him on multiple occasions, totaling between” €120,000 and €140,000 ($132,000 and $154,000).
The Cozzolino report said the Italian EU lawmaker “is suspected of having participated in an agreement with others as of 2019 to cooperate in protecting the interests of foreign states in the European Parliament”.
This appears to have been done, at least in part, “by impeding the passage of parliamentary decisions that could damage the interests of these states in exchange for sums of money,” the report says.
Tarabella and Cozzolino belong to the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) – the second largest faction in the assembly hardest hit by the corruption allegations.
The scandal came to light in early December after authorities launched a series of raids across Brussels and Italy, seizing hundreds of thousands of euros.
Four people were charged with corruption, money laundering and membership of a criminal organization. You are S&D MP Eva Kaili, who was vice-president of the assembly until the charges came to light; her partner and parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi; former S&D MP Pier Antonio Panzeri; and charity leader Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.
Panzeri has since agreed with the Belgian public prosecutor’s office to act as an informant. He has promised to reveal the names of those involved and how money was moved in exchange for a lighter sentence.
