Authorities in Belgium have arrested four people, including a former MEP, on Friday as part of an investigation launched months ago into a Qatari corruption scheme with links to the European Parliament, ‘Le Soir’ has reported.
Belgian federal police on Friday carried out 14 house searches in different areas of Brussels in connection with the investigation into the organization’s alleged money laundering and criminal activity. As revealed by the Belgian newspaper, 500,000 euros in cash have been found and the plot was infiltrated in the European Parliament to interfere in EU politics and related, in turn, to corruption plots linked to Qatar.
In particular, those arrested are the former socialist deputy Pier-Antonio Panzeri, the secretary general of the European Trade Union Conference, Luca Visentini, as well as the director of an NGO and a parliamentary assistant, all Italian nationals.
The case also involves four parliamentary advisors of the socialist group and another of the ‘popular’ group, as well as an official of the European Parliament, and representatives of ‘lobbies’ active in Brussels, although they have not been deprived of their freedom.
Parliamentary sources consulted by Europa Press have avoided commenting on this judicial procedure, assuring that «as always, the European Parliament cooperates fully with the national authorities in charge».
