Police searched six locations linked to Socialist MEP Marie Arena and her family on Wednesday as part of the investigation into the Qatargate corruption scandal at the European Parliament.
“I was called today to be at my home for a visit from the investigating judge [Aurélie Dejaiffe] as part of the Qatargate investigation,” the MEP told Belgian press agency Belga, speaking via her lawyer Michèle Hirsch.
“I had also told the investigating judge that I was at her disposal. I am convinced the investigation will confirm that I am not involved in this matter. I will probably be heard in the coming weeks, after the holidays,” she added.
However, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that six “searches” were conducted at “Arena’s home and in several places directly or indirectly linked to her or her family”, adding that “documents and ICT equipment were seized and will be analysed”.
The searches come after lead investigating judge Michel Claise resigned from the case due to a conflict of interest involving his son and Arena’s son at the end of June.
Marie Panzeri and former MEP Pier-Antonio Panzeri, the alleged mastermind behind the corruption scheme, were closer than initially believed, with Panzeri claiming that she had nothing to do with the affair since January.
According to information from all sides, “there is more to their relationship than what has been described so far”, Belgian Socialist MEP Marc Tarabella’s lawyer said at the end of last month. He and others also questioned the fact that Panzeri’s comments on Arena had never been “verified”.
In parallel, Le Soir revealed on Wednesday a document provided by Francesco Giorgi, former European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili’s partner, recording the interference in the Assembly’s economic and political decisions by Panzeri’s non-profit organisation Fight Impunity on behalf of Qatar, Morocco and Mauritania.
The document, a 250-line Excel file listing services to justify payments to Qatari, Mauritanian and Moroccan “clients”, is divided into tabs: interference in favour of Qatar, in favour of Morocco, in favour of Mauritania, but also a tab for attacking “enemies of Qatar”, as well as a tab relating to the liberalisation of Schengen visas for Qatari nationals. The document was kept meticulously up to date, according to Le Soir.
In the document, 199 lines are on Qatar, followed by Morocco. Giorgi handed the document to Belgian justice during his questioning.
Services included pushing a resolution for the European Parliament to vote on, publishing tweets favouring the client or criticising its “enemies”, and press releases in favour of the clients or critical of their “enemies”, among other things.
Algeria was listed as Morocco’s main enemy, while Qatar’s enemies included the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and, to a lesser extent, Egypt and Libya, the journalists said.
This document is key because it proves foreign interference, not just corruption, which is merely a means of influencing EU policy.
According to the journalists, the document mentions Tarabella, Arena, Kaili, Cozzolino and others but it does not indicate whether these individuals performed these services knowingly, or whether there was any payment involved.
(Anne-Sophie Gayet | EURACTIV.com)
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