Categories: World

EU committee votes to lift protections for 2 lawmakers allegedly involved in major corruption scandal

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for January 31

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

An influential committee at the European Union’s parliament voted unanimously on Tuesday to lift the protective immunity of two lawmakers being sought by Belgian authorities on suspected links to a major corruption scandal.

The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee decided by 23 votes to zero, with no abstentions, to lift the parliamentary immunity of Belgian lawmaker Marc Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino, its chairman, Adrian Vazquez Lazara, announced on Twitter.

The move paves the way for the full house to vote on whether to remove their protections on Thursday so that the two men, who are members of the center-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) political group hardest hit by the scandal, can be questioned by Belgian prosecutors.

EUROPEAN UNION LAWMAKERS AGREE TO PLANS MEANT TO PREVENT CORRUPTION FOLLOWING MAJOR SCANDAL

Hundreds of thousands of euros (dollars) were seized in raids across Brussels in December. Four people were charged with corruption, money laundering and membership in a criminal organization for allegedly accepting bribes from Qatari and Moroccan officials to influence parliamentary proceedings.

Pier Antonio Panzeri, above, addresses a plenary in Strasbourg, France, on March 26, 2019. Panzeri, the alleged ringleader of a European Union corruption scandal linked to Qatar and Morocco, has decided to reveal information about the scandal in exchange for a lighter sentence, Belgian prosecutors said on Jan. 17, 2023.
(Marc Dossman/European Parliament via AP)

They are S&D lawmaker Eva Kaili, who was an assembly vice president until the charges came to light; her partner and parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi; former S&D lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri, and the head of a charity group, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca. Qatar and Morocco deny any involvement.

EUROPEAN UNION’S NATURAL GAS STORAGE LEVELS STAND AT NEARLY 84% DESPITE RUSSIAN ATTEMPTS TO CHOKE OFF SUPPLIES

The request by prosecutors for parliament to lift the immunity of Tarabella and Cozzolino suggests that they too could be charged. Both men deny wrongdoing and have said they are willing to talk to investigators.

A lawyer for Panzeri’s wife and daughter, who were also being sought over suspected links to what’s one of the EU’s biggest-ever scandals, said Monday that they had been freed from house arrest after Belgian authorities abandoned their attempt to have the two transferred for questioning.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The two women have accepted to meet freely with investigators at an as-yet undetermined date. The decision in Brussels came days after Panzeri agreed to become an informant in exchange for a lighter sentence, pledging to name names and detail financial arrangements with those involved.

Share

Recent Posts

Israel moves towards ceasefire deal with Hezbollah: reports

close Video Israeli PM Netanyahu pushes back on ICC charges Fox News senior foreign affairs…

8 minutes ago

Ukraine to analyze fragments of missile fired by Russia capable of carrying nuclear warheads

close Video Russia sparks nuclear fears following missile test Fox News senior foreign affairs correspondent…

8 minutes ago

Bishop T.D. Jakes suffers health incident after ‘powerful’ sermon during Sunday service

close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for November 24 Fox News Flash top headlines…

18 minutes ago

Illegal immigrant with extensive criminal history arrested for attempted rape days after release from jail

close Video If you are an illegal immigrant, you better have ‘eyes in the back…

18 minutes ago

Mississippi teacher fired after allegedly feeding students dog treats mistaken for beef jerky

close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for November 24 Fox News Flash top headlines…

18 minutes ago

Stanford prof accused of using AI to fake testimony in Minnesota case against conservative YouTuber

A Stanford University "misinformation expert" has been accused of using artificial intelligence (AI) to craft…

3 hours ago