The hearing of Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella will continue this Saturday. The socialist mayor of Anthisnes was arrested this Friday by the police and was heard until early evening by investigators at the federal judicial police in Brussels.
Marc Tarabella is suspected of having accepted money in exchange for positions in favor of Qatar within the European Parliament. The socialist has been claiming his innocence since the revelations of the Qatargate scandal just 2 months ago. Marc Tarabella should be heard on Saturday by the examining magistrate Michel Claise. He spends the night in jail
The investigators came to pick up the MEP at his home in Anthisnes shortly before 8 a.m. this Friday in order to question him in Brussels.
This hearing is linked to the case of suspicions of corruption within the European Parliament. This is currently taking place in the offices of the federal police rue Royale in Brussels. He will then be heard by the examining magistrate Michel Claise.
His deprivation of liberty can last up to 48 hours.
“Marc Tarabella has been waiting for two months to be heard by the courts“, explains his entourage, “he is prepared for this test and ready to answer all the questions of the investigators“.
The federal prosecutor’s office also indicates that several searches took place this morning. The first targeted a bank safe located in Liège belonging to Marc Tarabella. Some offices of the town hall of Anthisnes were also searched, searches which would have yielded nothing, according to relatives of the MEP.
Qatargate
In the crosshairs of investigators, his positions on the organization of the World Cup in Qatar.
The Belgian MEP has gone from a position where he advocated a boycott to statements much more favorable to the kingdom of the Emirates.
The investigation concerns large payments made by Qatar to influence decisions within European institutions.
Marc Tarabella is also close to Pier Antonio Panzeri, the central figure in this alleged corruption network.
This last claims to have given between 120,000 and 140,000 euros in cash to Marc Tarabella for service rendered. It is this element that prompted the European Parliament to lift the parliamentary immunity of the Belgian MEP. A waiver of immunity to which Marc Tarabella voted in favor, let us remember.