EU Parliament moves to lift immunity of two MEPs in connection with corruption investigation

The European Parliament has moved to lift the immunity of two MEPs in response to a request by Belgian authorities, indicating the widening scope of the so-called Qatargate investigation.

The MEPs concerned are Belgium’s Marc Tarabella and Italy’s Andrea Cozzolino of the centre-left Socialist and Democrats group, according to sources close to the matter. Both have denied wrongdoing.

A decision to revoke an MEP’s parliamentary immunity – which protects lawmakers from arrest, formal investigation and criminal prosecution – is taken by the parliament’s legal affairs committee and then voted on by the full chamber. The first step will be taken when parliament convenes on January 16th.

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said the institution would continue to do all it could to “assist in investigations” and to “make sure that there will be no impunity” as she announced the move.

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“Those responsible will find this parliament on the side of the law. Corruption cannot pay and we will do everything to fight it,” Ms Metsola said in a statement.

Both Mr Tarabella and Mr Cozzolino were widely named in international press as the Qatargate scandal unfolded in the wake of the arrest of fellow MEP Eva Kaili, who was stripped of her position as vice-president of the parliament last month despite protesting her innocence.

Mr Tarabella told media he had “nothing to hide” after investigators raided his home in the first wave of searches, which heralded the start of one of the biggest corruption scandals ever to hit a European Union institution.

His lawyer later criticised the conduct of the investigation and the leaking of names to media, saying his client had never accepted any gifts or cash to influence his decisions.

Among those arrested last month was the partner of Ms Kaili, who served as an assistant to Mr Cozzolino, according to reports in local media.

[ Qatargate causes upheaval and suspicion in European Parliament ]

[ Match tickets and free trips: How Qatar wooed MEPs ahead of football World Cup ]

At the time, Mr Cozzolino issued a statement to say he had not been involved in any corruption, and that he was willing to renounce his own parliamentary immunity to facilitate the investigation if needed.

Mr Cozzolino and Mr Tarabella, who both hold senior roles in parliament delegations to North Africa and the Middle East, were suspended by their political parties last month pending the outcome of the investigations. They did not respond to a request for comment.

Belgian authorities have charged four people in relation to the investigation, which prosecutors say concerns “alleged criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering” around the European Parliament.

The probe centres on allegations that Qatar and Morocco bought influence, and has drawn in two NGOs – Fight Impunity and No Peace Without Justice – which share the same Brussels address.

[ Irish MEPs commit to tighter transparency standards after Qatargate scandal ]

Belgian investigators seized €1.5 million in cash, including hundreds of thousands stuffed into a suitcase in a Brussels hotel, while European Parliament offices were searched and computers seized.

Family members of a former MEP who was also charged as part of the investigation, Italian former centre-left MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, are also expected to be extradited to Belgium from Italy as part of the sprawling probe.