Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×