7sur7.be/Agencies- Former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, in confession of corruption in connection with Qatar and Morocco, totally exonerates Belgian MEP Marie Arena, whose name was quoted by the press in the Qatargate investigation around the European Parliament, said the repentant’s lawyer, Mr. Laurent Kennes, on Tuesday evening on the RTBF
What Mr. Panzeri wanted to say, and what he wanted to express about this lady to whom he was very close, was that he was particularly sorry. He knows that he has betrayed people, betrayed the trust of some people, and Marie Arena is one of them since he believes that he is someone who is extremely straight and who should not have been accused as is the case here, “said Me Kennes. “He will quote her name to say that she has nothing to do with her and that he would never have dared to offer her anything,” he added.
Pier Antonio Panzeri signed an agreement with the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday to become “repent”, a status that means his acknowledgment of guilt while guaranteeing him a reduced sentence (one year in prison on a 5-year sentence, in addition to fines and confiscations for more than one million euros). He acknowledges his participation in corruption and having been one of the leaders of the criminal organization in question, and undertakes to detail all the information he knows about the case, according to the lawyer.
“Under the memorandum signed today, the penalty incurred by Pier Panzeri will be effective but limited,” said the federal prosecutor’s office. “It will include a firm prison, a fine and the confiscation of all the patrimonial benefits acquired, currently valued at one million euros”. According to the statements of Panzeri’s lawyer, Me Laurent Kennes, to various media, this effective prison sentence will not exceed one year. “A five-year sentence will be imposed, but suspended for the part exceeding one year. He will be detained for one year, including part under an electronic bracelet,” the lawyer told AFP.
This memorandum is enshrined in “articles 216/1 to 216/8 of the Code of Criminal Investigation, which target suspects repentant of a file,” the Federal Prosecutor’s Office detailed. “This is a commitment on the part of the repentant to make substantial, revealing, sincere and complete statements concerning the participation of third parties and, where appropriate, his own participation, about offences covered by the said file,” he continued. “Through this memorandum, he undertakes to inform investigators and justice in particular about the modus operandi, the financial arrangements with third States, the financial constructions put in place, the beneficiaries of the structures put in place and advantages proposed, the involvement of people known or not yet known in the file, including the identity of the persons he admits to having corrupted”.
Panzeri would have confessed to having paid money to Marc Tarabella
According to L’Echo, Panzeri has already revealed to investigators that he has given more than 120,000 euros in cash to another socialist MEP, Belgian Marc Tarabella, for his help in favor of Qatar. On Monday, the President of the European Parliament announced that the justice system was demanding the lifting of the immunity of Marc Tarabella and another MP, the Italian Andrea Cozzolino. Marc Tarabella has so far always stated that he has never received a gift from Qatar in exchange for positions in favor of the emirate.
However, Panzeri’s lawyer did not want to comment on it. “We do not provide information on the file that is under investigation, it is part of the agreement. But it is sad that information leaks from the file, evoking the names of people who have not even had the opportunity to be heard (…) and do not have access to the elements of the file, “commented Me Kennes.
The socialist deputy, whose domicile was searched in December as part of this investigation, was excluded from his party, the PS, during the investigation. Pier Antonio Panzeri has been under an arrest warrant since his arrest on December 9. He is charged with participation in a criminal organization as a leader, money laundering and active and passive public corruption. According to the investigation led by the federal prosecutor’s office, Qatar and Morocco tried to influence the decisions and resolutions of the European Parliament through former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri and his non-profit association Fight Impunity.
Several other people are also suspected in this investigation: Francesco Giorgi, Panzeri’s collaborator, Eva Kaili, now former vice-president of the European Parliament and Giorgi’s companion, Nicolo Figa-Talamanca, a Brussels lobbyist, but also Eva Kaili’s father and trade unionist Luca Visentini. The latter two, however, have been released while the others are still under an arrest warrant.
