EU Parliament lifts immunity of two MEPs suspected of corruption

The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to lift the immunity from prosecution of two elected representatives who Belgian investigators want to question in connection with cash-for-influence corruption allegations linked to Qatar and Morocco.

In a show of hands in the full parliament, one of the MEPs the police hope to interview, Marc Tarabella of Belgium's Socialist Party, voted in favour of the waiver, RFI reported on February 2.

He told journalists afterwards: "I'm happy my parliamentary immunity has been lifted. I remind you that I'm innocent in this affair."

Tarabella said he looked forward to "justice running its course".

The other suspect is Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino.

Both men deny any wrongdoing and have said they will cooperate with Belgian investigators.

Qatar and Morocco also deny wrongdoing.

Tarabella's lawyer says the MEP visited Qatar twice and had been fully transparent about these trips to construction sites and work camps, which were apparently for the purposes of assessing human and labour rights.

Four current or former members of the European Parliament or their associates are already in police custody on suspicion of corruption and money-laundering.

The Belgian probe into bribery, money-laundering and criminal organisation saw police last year raid several addresses, including those of European lawmakers, ex-lawmakers and parliamentary aides.

Those detained and charged include Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who was one of the parliament's 14 vice presidents but has since been stripped of that position.

The other three are her boyfriend, Francesco Giorgi, who was a parliamentary aide; former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who founded an NGO that dealt with the parliament; and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the head of another NGO at the same address as Panzeri's. All three are Italian.

Belgium suspects them of involvement in a bribery scheme in which Qatar and Morocco allegedly funnelled money through NGOs to influence decisions by the European parliament.

Panzeri has struck a plea bargain with prosecutors promising to turn over evidence of bribes made and the individuals involved in return for a lighter sentence.