Two EU lawmakers detained in Qatar bribery investigation
February 11, 2023
Authorities detained two European Union lawmakers Friday in connection with the "Qatargate" corruption scandal that rocked the European Parliament in December.
Prosecutors in Belgium questioned Marc Tarabella, a member of the European Parliament, on Friday afternoon. Earlier, police conducted "several raids" at his home in Anthisnes, the town hall and a safe deposit box at a bank in the nearby city of Liege.
Italian finance police, acting on behalf of Belgian prosecutors, also arrested Andrea Cozzolino at a clinic in Naples on Friday.
The two Members of the European Parliament are accused of accepting bribes, a charge they both deny.
European Parliament waives suspects' immunity
The arrests come after the European Parliament voted to waive the immunity of Tarabella and Cozzolino last week.
Before the vote, a parliamentary report compiled on Tarabella alleged that he "may have been involved in acts of corruption connected with the interference by one or more states aimed at influencing debates and decisions taken by the European Parliament."
Both men have also been expelled from the center-left Socialists and Democrats group.
What is the 'Qatargate' corruption scandal?
In December 2022, police raided a number of homes, offices and hotels in Brussels and Italy and found roughly €1.5 million ($1.6 million) in cash.
Four people were charged with corruption, money laundering and membership in a criminal organization after the arrests: Greek then-Parliamentary Vice President Eva Kaili; her partner, Italian Francesco Giorgi; Italian former European Parliament legislator Pier Antonio Panzeri; and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the former head of an NGO.
In January, Panzeri struck a deal with prosecutors to share information in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Belgian media reported that he admitted to giving Tarabella "between €120,000 and €140,000 ($128,000 and $150,000)" for handling matters linked to Qatar.
Tarabella's lawyer confirmed that the member of the European Parliament had visited Qatar twice.
The attorney however added that he had been fully transparent about trips to construction sites and work camps, and was focused on addressing human rights issues and freedom of expression.
Qatar has denied any involvement in the scandal.
zc/ar (dpa, Reuters, AFP, AP)