10/02/2023 (Agence Europe) – Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella (S&D) was arrested and taken into custody on Friday 10 February, as part of the investigation into suspected corruption within the European Parliament involving Qatar and Morocco (Qatargate). Several offices in the town hall of the Belgian town of Anthisnes, where Mr Tarabella is mayor, were searched, as was “a bank safe located in Liège” belonging to the MEP, according to the prosecutor’s office, quoted by AFP. His home had already been searched in December. Mr Tarabella’s parliamentary immunity was lifted on 2 February (see EUROPE 13113/7). He had voted in favour of lifting his immunity, explaining that he “did not want to hide behind it” and that this would allow him to “answer the questions of the investigators and help the justice system to shed light on the case”. (CG)