BRUSSELS: The European Parliament announced on Monday that its chief, Roberta Metsola, had initiated “an urgent procedure” to withdraw the immunity of two lawmakers amid a corruption scandal.
The EU parliament did not give the parliamentarians’ names but maintained it was in response to a probe by Belgian law enforcement into the corruption allegations.
Sources briefed on the Belgian investigation told AFP the two lawmakers targeted by the procedure were a Belgian, an Italian, Andrea Cozzolino, and Marc Tarabella.
Both are members of the center-left Democrats and Social grouping in the EU parliament.
The development follows a string of Belgian enforcement raids in December on the addresses of lawmakers, former MEPs, and lobbyists that totalled $1.6 million (1.5 million euros) in cash.
There are speculations that the money was tied to alleged corruption in the EU Parliament.
The scandal has shaken the EU Parliament, with one of the vice presidents of Metsola, Greek MEP Eva Kaili, among four suspected lawmakers arrested in the Belgium raids.
EU Parliament graft scandal
Through her lawyer, Eva Kaili has denied knowing of the existence of 1.5 million euros found in her home and maintained she is innocent.
A Belgian judge had ruled that parliamentary immunity did not apply in Eva Kaili’s case because she was allegedly held red-handed. She remains in police custody.
On December 10, the Home of Tarabella was searched by Belgian authorities, according to a police source.
Metsola, tweeting regarding her procedure to lift the immunity of two MEPs, said: “There will be no immunity. None.”
The parliamentary speaker has asked to frame the scandal as an attack from outside on European democracy.
She has also vowed to introduce reforms to clean up the parliament, including strengthening whistle-blower security, banning all “informal friendship groups” with foreign governments, and increasing vetting of MEPs finances.
Probes underway
The parliament said the next step in lifting the MEPs’ immunity would be Metsola detailing the request at the parliament’s next plenary session on January 16, 2023.
From there, it would be referred to the parliament’s legal affairs committee for closed-door voting, with a decision to be put to the entire parliament to reject or approve it.
Metsola has urged that process be completed by February 13, 2023.
All four suspected MEPs arrested in the Belgian police raids remain in custody.
They are Kaili; former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri; Kaili’s Italian boyfriend Francesco Giorgi; and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the Italian head of an NGO which is suspected of making payments to lawmakers.
All four are charged with “criminal organization, money laundering, and corruption.”
Italy and Greece have launched their own probes into the alleged corruption scandal.
Eva Kaili has been stripped of her vice president role, and Greek authorities have seized property and a bank account in her and Francesco Giorgi’s names. – AFP/APP
