Former MEP Antonio Panzeri also calls Lara Comi into question in the Qatargate investigation .

In the declarations to the Brussels prosecutors Michael Claise and Raphael Malagnini, the exponent of the Democratic Party brought up the Forza Italia MEP, recounting having seen and thrown away one of her bags containing 60-70 thousand euros in cash .

"In 2019 Comi called me asking for a favour, if I could collect a bag from his apartment in Brussels and put it aside," Panzeri said, stating that he had asked his assistant Giuseppe Meroni to collect the bag. When Comi was arrested in the soup kitchen investigation, she added, " I went to Meroni and we opened the bag. I saw clothes and empty books inside, with cash between 60 and 70 thousand euros, I didn't count them. So I took it all, decided to throw the money away in the trash . Meroni saw the money but took nothing».

Panzeri spoke about it with Comi, he reported: «I just told her that the money was gone. On the purse I told her that the case is closed and she didn't ask me anything else, I don't know where the money in this purse came from. There was a meeting in Doha, in the spring of 2019, with Minister Al Marri, Francesco Giorgi, the Algerian (Boudjellal, ed ) and I, Andrea Cozzolino, Lara Comi . I think Eva Kaili was there, but the decision made, in terms of money for MEPs, included her as well. At the end, the Qataris decided to make three 250,000 euros each available for electoral campaigns. And it was done .'

Panzeri was unable to say whether the money in the Comi stock exchange was part of the 250,000 euro deal with Qatar. Comi's lawyer, Gian Piero Biancolella, declared that his client "has never accepted illicit funding for the 2019 campaign" .

« It is important to deny the idea that I am the big boss - said Panzeri instead -. These people accepted money in exchange for protecting Qatari interests as part of their parliamentary work . It was established that Giorgi would assume the role of assistant to Cozzolino. The money arrived at his home, one million and 250 thousand euros in cash. There were also 250,000 euros for me and for him».

(Unioneonline/L)

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