New twist in the Qatargate affair: Former MEP Marie Arena indicted as “member of a criminal organization”. What will be the consequences for the European Parliament? The investigation still promises shattering revelations…
A new chapter has just opened in the resounding “Qatargate” scandal which has shaken European authorities for several months. According to information obtained by our editorial staff, former Belgian socialist MEP Marie Arena was indicted this Saturday for her alleged involvement in this vast system of corruption. The facts with which he is accused? Being a member of a “criminal organization” which would have worked within the European Parliament itself.
The noose tightens around European elected officials
Since the affair broke out in December 2022, the revelations have continued and shaken citizens’ confidence in their representatives. It all started with a series of shock arrests in Brussels, targeting several leading political figures, suspected of having been “bought” by foreign powers. Among them, the former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri et Greek Vice-President of Parliament Eva Kaili. Huge sums of cash were seized from their respective homes.
But the shock wave did not stop there. Over the months, other elected officials have been implicated, such as MEPs Marc Tarabella, Andrea Cozzolino and Francesco Giorgi, companion of Eva Kaili. All are now indicted in this sprawling case. And among them now is Marie Arena, a close friend of Pier Antonio Panzeri whose name has been circulating insistently since the start of the affair.
280,000 euros found at the home of Marie Arena’s son
If the elected socialist proclaims her innocence and denies any involvement in this alleged corruption system, certain disturbing elements have been brought to light by investigators. According to a source close to the case, no less than 280,000 euros in cash were discovered in July 2023, during a search of the home of Marie Arena’s son, a neighbor of his. A sum whose provenance raises questions, even if the main party concerned denies any link with illegal activities:
“To be linked to a criminal organization, you have to have knowledge of criminal activities and I swear to you that it was totally unthinkable for me”
she declared to the daily La Libre this Saturday.
Qatar and Morocco at the heart of suspicion
But then which countries are hiding behind this vast alleged corruption scandal? According to investigators, two names keep coming back: Qatar and Morocco. These states are suspected of having set up a system of hidden influence within the European Parliament, through bribes, in order to improve their image in terms of human rights. Accusations that the two countries concerned have firmly refuted since the start of the affair.
-An investigation disrupted by appeals
But the investigation is far from being a long, quiet river for Belgian justice, on the front line in this case. For more than a year, it has had to deal with multiple appeals filed by the lawyers of the protagonists, who contest the legality of the proceedings. An intense procedural battle is playing out in parallel before the Brussels Court of Appeal, with hearings scheduled until next April.
In this context, it is difficult to know when the accused could be brought before a court. But one thing is certain, Qatargate has already deeply damaged the reputation of the European Parliament and its elected representatives. Will the institution manage to recover from this unprecedented political-judicial earthquake? The future will tell us, but the road still promises to be long and strewn with pitfalls.
The indictment of Marie Arena, a new blow for the European left
In the meantime, the indictment of Marie Arena is a new blow for European socialists, already very weakened by this scandal which has decimated their ranks for months. Even if the former MEP continues to proclaim her innocence, her alleged involvement casts an additional shadow over a political group in turmoil.
Especially since the 58-year-old French-speaking elected official was not just anyone within the institution. Very close to Pier Antonio Panzeri, one of the key men in the case, she had built solid networks over the course of her mandates. His indictment therefore risks further weakening the socialist structure in the European Parliament.
The next steps in a judicial soap opera far from over
What will be the next revelations in this seemingly endless affair? No one knows yet, but one thing is certain: Qatargate has not finished revealing all its secrets. Belgian investigators, determined to shed light on this alleged system of corruption, are expected to knock on other doors in the weeks and months to come.
Are new indictments expected? Will MEPs manage to clear their names? Will Qatar and Morocco emerge unscathed from this scandal? So many questions which remain unanswered and which promise new shattering revelations. Only one certainty: the legal saga of Qatargate is still far, very far from knowing its epilogue.
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