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MEP Marc Tarabella’s lawyer claims his client has nothing to do with the corruption case that is shaking the European Parliament, and that the Belgian lawmaker is the victim of a witch hunt.
In an interview with POLITICO, the Belgian socialist MEP’s lawyer, Maxim Töller, heavily criticized the ongoing investigation by Belgian authorities, which led to the arrest of four people suspected of corruption earlier this month.
In alleged confessions leaked to Belgian and Italian media, one suspect — Francesco Giorgi — accused Tarabella of receiving money from Qatar.
But Tarabella has not been formally arrested or charged by the Belgian prosecutors. Belgian and Italian outlets reported that former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who has been arrested by the police, also implicated Tarabella, denouncing the Belgian MEP as a beneficiary of “gifts” coming from Qatar.
In response, Tarabella’s lawyer hit back: “Mr Tarabella has never received any gift or money to influence any decision whatsoever, and from anyone. He would have denounced it immediately if he had been approached about it.”
Tarabella will fight hard for his case to be heard. Asked how his client was doing, the lawyer said: “He is angry. He is saddened. But he’s combative. He’s really fighting. He’s going to fight.”
‘Partial’ leaks
The so-called Qatargate allegations have seen four suspects arrested on preliminary charges of “participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption.” They include Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP who was ousted as European Parliament vice president when the case erupted.
Claims that senior politicians have been involved in allegedly taking cash to further the interests of countries such as Qatar in the EU Parliament threaten to destroy the bloc’s political credibility, and have triggered widespread dismay in European capitals and the corridors of power in Brussels.
But the Belgian authorities’ investigation has also been controversial, lawyers of the suspects say.
Töller said he wrote to the investigative magistrate Michel Claise stressing that “there was a huge problem of procedure” due to the leaks of key documents to media, including records of Kaili and Panzeri’s confessions.
The lawyer added that whoever is the source of those alleged leaks was “someone partial,” as many of the leaks were elements “incriminating” Tarabella. The lawyer said in his letter to Claise he had called for these “individuals [to] be removed from the investigation immediately.” Otherwise, the whole investigation will be afflicted with “procedural or impartial” issues. This means that “all charges will have to be dropped.”
On Tuesday, the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said it would launch an investigation into the press leaks, amid fears that they could “jeopardize” the case. A spokesman said Wednesday that they were “concerned by the leaks” but declined to comment in detail on Töller’s criticism.
Tarabella’s home was searched by Belgian police on December 10. Töller said that the police seized “two phones, two tablet laptops – including that of his son” – and two folders with documents awaiting his signature.
Tarabella has not been interviewed by investigators, even though his house was raided, the lawyer said. “He has not even been summoned, nothing at all.”
“His trial has started in the media, and he is not even heard by the police yet,” Töller said.
The lawyer added that “no luxury items” were found at Tarabella’s house, despite the “money-sniffing dog” used by the police during the raid. “If my client was corrupt, one would at least have found something.”
Source: Politico
