EU, media: former MEP Panzeri arrested
Antonio Panzeriformer MEP of the Democratic party before moving on Article OneAnd Luca Visentinigeneral secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (Ituc), were detained this morning by Belgian police for questioning as part of a large judicial investigation into a series of alleged cases of corruption, criminal organization and money laundering which led to 14 house searches in Brussels.
The newspapers report it Belgians Knack And Le Soir. According to the two publications, almost 500,000 euros in cash were allegedly seized in the former MEP’s home. “For several months, investigators from the Federal Criminal Police have suspected that one Gulf State“, according to the two newspapers, the Qatar“is trying to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament,” he said Eric Van Duysespokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office Brussels. The alleged illegal conduct occurred “in particular, by paying large sums of money or offering large gifts to third parties with an important political and/or strategic position within the European Parliament”, added the spokesman. Beyond Panzeri And Visentini the director of an NGO and a European parliamentary assistant were arrested.
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