EU graft scandal suspect hearing postponed: Italy

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Dec 2022 17:42
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The 38-year-old Silvia Panzeri is the daughter of the former EU politician Pier Antonio Panzeri, who Brussels investigators suspect is one of the key figures in the alleged graft scandal.

A statue is seen in front of the courthouse in Brescia (Reuters)

A hearing in Italy on whether to hand over a second lady suspected of being involved in the Qatar graft scandal was postponed until January.

Silvia Panzeri's attorneys asked a court of appeals in the northern city of Brescia to review their case, arguing that she shouldn't be extradited because of the horrible jail conditions in Belgium caused by overcrowding.

The 38-year-old Silvia Panzeri is the daughter of the former EU politician Pier Antonio Panzeri, who Brussels investigators suspect is one of the key figures in the alleged graft scandal.

It is worth noting that the case will resume on Jan. 3.

A flashback

Four people, including a former MEP, were detained last Friday in Belgium, as part of an investigation into corruption and money laundering by an unidentified "Gulf country" at the EU parliament, the federal prosecutor's office said.

No specific nation had been specified until the Belgian daily Le Soir said Qatari officials tried to corrupt an Italian Socialist who was a European parliament member from 2004 to 2019.

Investigators have for several months "suspected a Gulf country of influencing the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament, and this by transferring consequential sums of money or giving sizeable gifts to third parties with a significant and/or strategic position within the European Parliament," the prosecutor's office said.

The police said this was allegedly done “by paying large sums of money or offering large gifts to third parties with a significant political and/or strategic position within the European Parliament.”

"Among those arrested is a former member of the European Parliament," who turned out to be European Parliament Vice-President and Greek political Eva Kaili.

At the time, the police carried out 16 raids in Brussels and seized "600,000 euros in cash", which is equivalent to $633,500, as well as computer equipment and mobile phones to examine their contents.

The EU parliament’s press service did not comment on the raids, and an investigation was underway. The press service said the assembly was cooperating fully with Belgian police.