Belgian Socialist MEP Marc Tarabella, whose immunity was suspended by the European Parliament last week at the request of the Belgian judiciary, was arrested Friday for questioning in connection with the corruption scheme known as ‘Qatargate’ for the alleged payment of bribes by Qatar, Morocco and Mauritania to gain political and financial weight in the European Union.
Tarabella, whom the considered ringleader of the corrupt network, the former Italian Socialist MEP Antonio Panzeri, points out as the recipient of between 120,000 and 140,000 euros in exchange for softening its position on the World Cup in Qatar, defends since the scandal broke in December that has not participated in such corruption.
However, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has informed of his arrest to testify over the next few hours before the judge investigating the case, who will then decide on his situation.
After the suspension of the Euro-parliamentary immunity that prevented the authorities from acting against him, the investigators have proceeded to several searches during the morning of Friday, including one in Liege to locate a safe belonging to Tarabella.
In the course of this action, as specified by the Prosecutor’s Office in a statement, have also been searched «several offices» in the town hall of the municipality of Anthisnes of which the Belgian socialist is mayor.
Already in December, when the police made the first arrests in connection with the bribery network, Tarabella’s apartment was searched by investigators, who found nothing relevant although they seized computer equipment.
The vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, her partner and MEP advisor, Francesco Giorgi, and two other people have been charged with participating in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption.
One of the accused, the former MEP Panzeri, has reached an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office to confess all the details of the scheme and to point out those who collected the bribes in exchange for a reduction in the penalties requested against him from five to one year in prison.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
