![]() Panzeri, who agreed to provide full information in exchange for a lighter sentence. Giorgi, who confessed and implicated others, and Mr. According to Belgian and Italian sources, the charges are denied by those involved except Mr. Allegations concern influence-peddling on behalf of Qatar and Morocco in exchange for large cash payments. Panzeri founded Fight Impunity, an anti-corruption nongovernmental organization (NGO), along with his wife and daughter as well as Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the head of another NGO sharing the same Brussels address. ![]() The Belgian criminal investigation also focuses on her partner, Francesco Giorgi, and a parliamentary staffer, former Italian socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri. ![]() A Belgian judge denied her bail following allegations of corruption, membership in a criminal organization and money laundering. But will these revelations undermine the 27-nation bloc and its vaunted values, or will they prove a storm in a teacup as Europe faces significant geopolitical challenges?īrussels started the new year with a former vice president of the European Parliament, the Greek socialist Eva Kaili, in jail. The worst scandal to hit the European Union in decades is expanding as Belgian investigators pursue inquiries into alleged cash-for-favors schemes involving payments by Qatar and Morocco to members of the European Parliament. The scandal’s silver lining could be a firming of the EU’s transparency rules.The countries are too important for Europe’s interests to be sidelined by the scandals.Qatar and Morocco allegedly paid bribes to help soften European criticism.
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