Qatargate: requests to stop immunity for Cozzolino and Tarabella

The European Parliament has launched an urgent procedure to waive the immunity of two MEPs.

under Qatargate.

"There will be no impunity. None", announced the president of the Eurochamber Roberta Metsola, stressing that the decision was taken following a request from the Belgian judicial authorities.

According to the Belgian newspapers Le Soir and Knack, Andrea Cozzolino and Marc Tarabella are the two MEPs for whom the Belgian justice has asked for the parliamentary immunity of the Eurochamber to be revoked.

"We confirm that we have initiated the request to revoke the parliamentary immunity of two members of the European Parliament but we will not give names or other information", only the spokesman for the Brussels prosecutor's office asked about the matter said.

The home of socialist MEP Marc Tarabella was raided on 10 December, in the presence of the president of the Eurochamber Roberta Metsola, the day after the arrest of six people in the context of Qatargate, including the vice president of Parliament Eva Kaili, his companion Francesco Giorgi and the former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri.

Tarabella, recalls Le Soir, forcefully claims that she has never received any gift from Qatar.

Giorgi is Cozzolino's parliamentary assistant and according to reports from the Belgian press he would have admitted to having received money from Morocco and Qatar to promote his own interests within Parliament.

Cozzolino had also recently asked through his lawyers to be heard by the investigators, while maintaining his innocence.

The procedure for the waiver of parliamentary immunities: underway at the Plenary session on 16 January

According to the procedure established by the Regulation of the European Parliament, the Committee on Legal Affairs will appoint a rapporteur, and the cases in question will be presented during a meeting of the Commission itself, where a hearing can also take place.

The draft report will then be discussed and voted in the Commission which will adopt a recommendation for the whole Parliament to approve or reject the request.

All immunity cases are being heard behind closed doors.

The recommendation will then be presented to the Plenary.

In the event of approval by the Plenary, by a simple majority, the President immediately communicates Parliament's decision to the Member(s) concerned and to the competent national authority.

The president of the European Parliament, it is specified, has asked all services and commissions to give priority to this procedure, with a view to its conclusion by 13 February 2023. The president of the European Parliament will announce the request for the waiver of parliamentary immunity for two MEPs involved in the corruption scandal linked to Qatar at the first possible plenary of the Parliament, next 16 January.

The request will then be referred to the Committee on Legal Affairs (Juri) for a proposal for a decision.