The European Parliament announced on Monday 2 January that it had launched an urgency procedure, following a request from the Belgian judicial authorities, to waive the immunity of two MEPs in the context of a corruption investigation within the institution involving Qatar.
The two MEPs concerned are the Italian Andrea Cozzolino and the Belgian Marc Tarabella, both of whom are members of the S&D group. Both are targeted in the operation that led Belgian investigators to arrest MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili (S&D, Greek) on 9 December.
“Since this case began, Marc Tarabella has repeated that he is at the disposal of the judicial authorities and has even asked to be heard quickly in order to be able to defend himself. He has also said that he would not shelter behind his parliamentary immunity as he has nothing to hide. He therefore supports his immunity being waived, if requested”, explained Mr Tarabella’s lawyer Maxim Töller.
“In response to a request from the Belgian judicial authorities, I launched an urgency procedure to waive the immunity of two Members of Parliament. There will be no impunity, absolutely none”, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Ms Metsola will formally communicate this request to MEPs on 16 January in Strasbourg at the start of the next plenary session. The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs will then assess the request, in camera, and make a proposal for a decision, which will ultimately be voted on by all MEPs in plenary.
The President of the Parliament “asked all services and committees to give priority to this procedure, with a view to its conclusion by 13 February”.
Ms Kaili’s partner, the Italian Francesco Giorgi (Andrea Cozzolino’s parliamentary assistant), the former MEP Pier-Antonio Panzeri, and an NGO leader, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, are also among those who have been arrested. The four have been charged with ‘belonging to a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption’ in a scandal that has sent shockwaves through the European Parliament and increased tensions between Qatar and the EU.
Eva Kaili did not benefit from her parliamentary immunity, as the offence was discovered in flagrante delicto, with bags of cash found in her flat. She was stripped of her title of Vice-President of the European Parliament on 13 December by a near-unanimous vote of MEPs. In Belgium, the investigation led to 20 searches between 9 and 12 December, including in the European Parliament. Mr Tarabella’s home was searched on 10 December, according to a judicial source.
In total, Belgian investigators seized €1.5 million in cash from the homes of Mr Panzeri and Eva Kaili and from a suitcase carried by Ms Kaili’s father.
Roberta Metsola confirmed on 15 December that she would present in early 2023 a wide-ranging reform project to restore confidence in the institution, in particular strengthening the protection of whistleblowers and banning unofficial friendship groups with third countries (see EUROPE 13085/4). The European Parliament also asked to temporarily close the door to any representative of Qatar’s interests and decided to suspend all legislative work related to the emirate. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)