Francesco Giorgi admitted a key role in the corruption scheme but called for the immediate release of the former vice-president of the European Parliament. Metsola announced the reform to catch more cases.
Almost a week after his arrest, Francesco Giorgi, along with Eva Caille, now a former vice-president of the European Parliament (EP), confessed to Belgian authorities of their involvement in the corruption scheme. Community organization for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco. The Italian, who works as a parliamentary assistant in Brussels, took part in a net involving more than 1.5 million euros. However, during Wednesday’s audience at the Palace of Justice, he asked for the release of his girlfriend, with whom he has a daughter.
“I did it for the money, not because I had to”, justified Giorgi, who pointed to ex-Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri as the mastermind of the scheme, in whose house 600,000 euros were found. Giorgi apologized to his companion in accordance with the argument of Gaily’s lawyer – despite the discovery of 150 thousand euros in the couple’s common room – and promised to do “everything” so that the former star of Greek television could be released and “take care” of the 22-month-old daughter.
In addition to Francesco Giorgi, Eva Kyli and Antonio Panzeri, Alexandros Kylis, the father of the former president of Brussels, is also being investigated for his alleged involvement in Catergate, as he was in possession of a suitcase containing around 650 thousand euros. However, Kylie’s boyfriend, “Le Soir” and “La Repubblica” reports, which had access to court documents, implicated two more MEPs in the case, indicating that the investigation could be far from over.
Giorgi, one of the members of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Sem Pas Sem Justisa, led by the Italian Niccolò Fica-Talamanca, will be the main person responsible for collecting bribes in exchange for benefits for the countries involved in the project. , among other things, includes cleaning up the Middle Eastern state’s image in the European Union (EU). However, he pointed to Andrea Cozzolino, head of the EP delegation for relations with the Maghreb, and Marc Tarabella as two key figures in the corruption network.
Speaking to authorities, the Italian explained that he had paid into a system used by Qatar to bribe MEPs and parliamentary assistants in order to gain political and economic support in the social system.
Qatar Travel and 2022 World Cup Tickets
As an example of the Qatari lobby, yesterday the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metzola, insisted that members of parliament be offered travel and tickets to attend the 2022 World Cup. He was invited to attend the soccer championship because he had “concern for the country” and declined, citing alleged human rights abuses within the confines of the sporting event.
Medsola pledged “no impunity” to avoid further such cases and committed himself to the European Union’s leaders to outline anti-corruption reform early next year.
“Information we have received from the Belgian authorities indicates that there are serious suspicions of those associated with authoritarian governments.
Metzola promised to implement plans including “a ban on all unofficial friendly groups”, which are sometimes funded by intermediaries and foreign governments. Another measure to be discussed should include preventing the entry of representatives of third countries into the European Parliament premises, especially with regard to Qatari authorities.
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