As part of the investigation into suspected bribery involving Qatari officials, the office of the federal prosecutor in Belgium asked the European Parliament on Tuesday to lift the immunity of two Italian Socialist MEPs, Alessandra Moretti and Elisabetta Gualmini. The request for an immunity waiver was verified to Euronews by legislative and federal prosecutor sources.
Despite being mentioned in documents during the early phases of the investigation into the alleged corruption that surfaced on December 9, 2022, Moretti and Gualmini have never before been the subject of a formal investigation.
Former European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, her partner and accredited parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi, as well as former MEPs Pier Antonio Panzeri, Andrea Cozzolino, Marc Tarabella, and Maria Arena who is currently facing charges of membership in a criminal organization have all been implicated in the scandal.
The European Parliament’s Bureau has received the request from the federal prosecutor regarding Moretti and Gualmini, and it will be presented at the plenary session in March. After then, it will be up to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament to examine the request and decide whether to approve or deny it. A vote on the two cases will then be held at the plenary session of the Parliament.
Also Read:
Zelenskyy Believes Ukraine will Demand a Special Tribunal be Included in Peace Negotiations