The investigation into alleged corruption in the European Parliament expands with the official request of the Brussels investigators to revoke the parliamentary immunity of two MEPs, after already the sensational arrest on 9 December of the Greek vice president of the EP (suspended), Eva Kaili , socialist.

It would be the Italian Andrea Cozzolino (Pd) and the Belgian of Italian origins Marc Tarabella , a socialist, already suspended from the party at the beginning of the investigation. No comment from the Brussels prosecutor's office, which only confirmed that it had presented the request for the waiver of immunity for two MEPs.

The names of Tarabella and Cozzolino had already ended up on several occasions in the news on the Qatargate papers , and Tarabella's home had been searched in the presence of the president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola (as required by Belgian law) already on 10 December, in the the day after the arrest, among others, also of Kaili's companion, Francesco Giorgi (parliamentary assistant of Cozzolino) and of the former MEP and former trade unionist Pier Antonio Panzeri , lobbyist, founder of the NGO Fight Impunity and considered a central figure in the alleged maneuvers to soften the position of the institutions in favor of Qatar, Morocco and even Mauritania.

"Since the beginning of this case, Marc Tarabella has repeated that he is at the disposal of justice and has also asked to be heard quickly in order to be able to defend himself," said his lawyer, Maxim Toller, pointing out that the Belgian politician does not intend to hide behind the immunity and is "in favor" of the revocation.

Cozzolino in turn had already made it known in recent days through his lawyer that he wanted to be heard as soon as possible by the Belgian investigators , declaring himself extraneous to the facts.

THE ITER – The urgent procedure for the waiver of the immunity of the two MEPs will be officially opened by Metsola at the first available plenary session of the Eurochamber, on Monday 16 January in Strasbourg . Maltese politics, it was announced, has asked all Parliament services and commissions to give priority to the matter in order to conclude it by February 13, when the new plenary will meet again. After the communication of the president to the plenary, according to the regulation, the request will pass to the Legal Affairs Commission of the Parliament, which will appoint a rapporteur and will discuss it behind closed doors, possibly arranging hearings, and will then elaborate its opinion for the plenary with a recommendation to vote. The Eurochamber will decide by simple majority.

" There will be no impunity . None», underlined Metsola announcing the opening of the procedure at the request of the Belgian judicial authorities . “From the outset, the European Parliament has done everything in its power to help the investigation and we will continue to ensure that there is no impunity. Those responsible will find this Parliament on the side of the law . Corruption cannot pay and we will do everything to fight it,” he added.

In the coming weeks, Metsola will also illustrate its hypotheses for reforming the Parliament, with a revision of the rules and an improvement of the internal systems.

(Unioneonline/vl)

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