Belgian justice has sent arrest warrants to the French authorities against several Moroccan officials involved in the corruption scandal that has rocked the European Parliament for nearly three months.
The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, which launched this investigation last December regarding acts of corruption, mentions Morocco in various aspects.
This includes the current Moroccan ambassador to Poland, Abderrahim Atmoun, former chairman of the Moroccan-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee between 2011 and 2019.
In addition to Atmoun, Yassine Mansouri, head of the DGED (intelligence services), is also cited, as well as Mohamed Belahrach, a senior member of the DGED in Rabat whose identity had already been revealed in at least two Moroccan-European espionage cases a few years ago.
Abderrahim Atmoun collaborated with former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who admitted his involvement in corruption linked to Morocco, and his family allegedly benefited from gifts from Morocco, with the aim of aiding Moroccan interference in European affairs and influencing European positions, particularly with regard to human rights and the occupied Western Sahara.
In this dangerous corruption case, Belgian investigators seized 1.5 million euros in cash in the homes of Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Socialist MEP who became an NGO leader and is a central figure in the case, and Greek Socialist MEP Eva Kaili, as well as in a suitcase carried by her father.
Like Mr Panzeri, Ms Kaili was arrested, as was her companion, Italian Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary assistant, another Italian, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, an NGO leader, and Belgian Marc Tarabella. They are accused of “belonging to a criminal organisation”, “money laundering” and “corruption”.
Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino was placed under house arrest on Saturday and his extradition hearing is due to take place on Tuesday.
