Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 10, 2025

Qatargate: Belgium asks EU Parliament to waive immunity of MEPs Tarabella, Cozzolino

Qatargate: Belgium asks EU Parliament to waive immunity of MEPs Tarabella, Cozzolino

If approved by all MEPs later this month, Belgian authorities will be able to be pursue charges against the Socialist lawmakers.

Belgian investigators asked the European Parliament to waive the immunity of two more MEPs suspected of wrongdoing amid a sprawling corruption scandal linked to alleged bribery by Qatar and Morocco.

Socialists & Democrats lawmakers Marc Tarabella, a Belgian MEP, and Andrea Cozzolino, an Italian, are those now being targeted, according to an EU official close to the matter, as well as an insider in the S&D group in the Parliament. Both spoke on condition of anonymity in order not to jeopardize the legal procedure. The Belgian prosecutor declined to provide comment.

The Parliament has vowed to crack down on corruption and illicit lobbying, deciding in December to establish a special committee to run in parallel with a probe by Belgian prosecutor Michel Claise. “There will be no impunity. None,” wrote European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Twitter.

This was a knowing nod to the NGO Fight Impunity, which former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri established in 2019 with his former assistant Francesco Giorgi, who has worked as Cozzolino’s assistant since 2019.

The immunity of Giorgi’s partner, Eva Kaili, formerly one of the Parliament’s 14 vice presidents, was automatically stripped away because she was considered to have been caught in the act of committing an offense. The Belgian prosecutor also found €150,000 in cash at her Brussels apartment after the scandal broke on December 9. Belgian authorities then arrested her and seized bags of cash in Brussels.

MEPs removed Kaili as a vice president last month and along with Giorgi, former MEP Panzeri and NGO boss Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, she is now facing preliminary charges of corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.

The Parliament will officially kick start the lengthy procedure for removing legal protection for Tarabella and Cozzolino when MEPs next gather in Strasbourg on January 16. At that time, the Parliament’s legal affairs committee will give the two MEPs a chance to say their piece and rubber stamp the measure before handing it over to the entire plenary of lawmakers for a final vote, which will likely be an overwhelming majority.

The Socialists & Democrats group in Parliament said in a statement to POLITICO that its members would “follow, in the context of the European Parliament, the procedures foreseen in a responsible and constructive manner.”

In a separate statement shared with POLITICO, Tarabella’s lawyer Maxim Töller said the MEP would support the lifting of his immunity. “Since the beginning of this investigation, Marc Tarabella has repeated that he is at the disposal of the judiciary and has even asked to be questioned rapidly in order to defend himself. He has equally said that he would not hide behind his parliamentary immunity,” Töller wrote.

Metsola was present during a search that Belgian police conducted at Tarabella’s house on December 10, looking for potentially compromising material.

Tarabella has proclaimed his innocence. He is vice chair of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula and co-chair of the institution’s sports group — an important role in the leadup to Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup last year.

Cozzolino publicly asked for his immunity to be lifted and has also denied wrongdoing.

Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino belongs to the S&D group


Since the scandal broke, Cozzolino temporarily stood down as chair of a delegation for relations with Maghreb

countries and also stood back from his role as his group’s coordinator on drafting resolutions on human rights abuses outside the EU. At the time of publishing, he had not responded to POLITICO’s requests for comment.

“President Metsola will also set out her intentions for reforms in the coming weeks, including an overhaul of the current rules and improving internal systems, including on enforcement,” the Parliament said in a press statement. Metsola wants the immunity waiver to be wrapped up by mid-February.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Removing the Political Rival Means Diminishing What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
UAE Pledges $1.4 Trillion Investment Strategy in the United States
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
U.S. Approves $100 Million Precision Rocket Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Yemen Conflict
High-ranking ISIS Official Neutralized in Collaborative Operation in Iraq
Netanyahu Rejects UN Reports on Gaza as 'Untrue'
Six Americans Freed from Detention in Kuwait
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Killings.
Trump Speaks Out on the Arrest of Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben with Palestinian Flag
Over 300,000 Refugees Expected to Return to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Trump Urges Nuclear Talks with Iran as Tensions Escalate
US Launches AI Initiative to Track Foreign Nationals' Social Media for Terrorist Support.
US Initiates Direct Discussions with Hamas During Hostage Situation
US Government Dismisses Arab Leaders' Plan for Gaza Reconstruction
US Engages in Unprecedented Covert Talks with Hamas Regarding Hostages
Arab Leaders Approve $53 Billion Initiative for Gaza Reconstruction
Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile Reaches Levels for Six Nuclear Devices
Israel Indicates Willingness to Resume Military Operations in Gaza
Hamas Lets Go of Last Israeli Hostage as Part of Ceasefire Deal
Trump Adjusts Gaza Resettlement Plan Following Rejections from Regional Leaders
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advance.
Israeli Minister Urges Hamas to Surrender and Depart from Gaza.
Iran Considers Moving Its Capital Due to Urban Difficulties
Israel and Hamas Finalize Sixth Exchange of Hostages and Prisoners During Continuing Gaza Ceasefire
Leaders of BRICS to Gather in Rio de Janeiro for July Summit
Muhsin Hendricks, a trailblazing openly gay imam, was killed in South Africa.
Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs cautions Hamas against challenging Trump before Saturday's deadline.
Two British citizens apprehended in Iran amid escalating tensions.
Israel Issues Threat of Military Action as Hostage Negotiations with Hamas Continue
Hamas Coordinates Worldwide Solidarity Marches in Reaction to U.S. and Israeli Initiative
Israel Warns of Ending Gaza Ceasefire Due to Hostage Situation
×