BRUSSELS, 17 JAN - PIer Antonio Panzeri, the former socialist MEP in prison since 9 December as part of the "Qatargate" maxi-investigation which involved the European Parliament,
"will be present" this morning in front of the court's council chamber of Brussels
at the hearing set to review his pre-trial detention.
This was confirmed by the lawyer of the Italian politician, Laurent Kennes.
"Today we will not make comments of any kind, we will make all statements to justice," said Kennes, as he entered the hearing.
"In twenty-five years I have rarely seen" leaks "
as I have seen on this dossier
, for this reason I have decided not to comment, because we believe it pollutes the investigation," explained Kennes arriving at the Palais de Justice in Brussels, indicating that he learned elements of the investigation "through the press".
"By reading La Repubblica and Le Soir we discovered things we didn't know, it's something quite extraordinary", said the lawyer again, avoiding making any further statement on the case and on his client.
"The danger is not only that the investigation will be polluted", but that the leaks will also affect the "two people whose immunity has been requested to be waived who have not yet been questioned and who will be questioned later" , he explained in reference to MEPs
Andrea Cozzolino
and
Marc Tarabella
.
"For corruption cases" the maximum penalty "is four years"
, while when it comes to criminal conspiracy the risks are "more important" and therefore
the suspects "risk more
, but the violation of professional secrecy also provides for a maximum sentence of three years,” Kennes added.
"The elements of the dossier on which they will be questioned in part have already been communicated and this damages the quality of the investigation and its credibility", continued Kennes, reminding the press that "when a professional communicates information without having the authorization of the court or of defense attorneys in the interests of their client
commits a criminal offence
."
During his mandate as MEP, from 2004 to 2019, Panzeri chaired the Maghreb commission and the subcommittee on human rights of the Eurochamber.
The decision of the Belgian judges should be announced in the afternoon.
From Italy, on the other hand, the Brescia Court of Appeal gave the first go-ahead for the delivery to Belgium of the wife and daughter of the former MEP,
Maria Dolores Colleoni
and
Silvia Panzeri
, who ended up under house arrest for their alleged involvement in the money and gifts from Qatar and Morocco to influence European decisions.