According to the Belgian judges, the group that is the focus of their attention would consist of three people: Antonio Panzeri, Francesco Georgi and Andrew Cozzolino. The first two are in prison and will remain there for at least a month, a time that will surely be longer considering that Francesco Giorgi has chosen to work together by admitting his responsibilities. Cozzolino is an MEP, has not yet been investigated and has not even been contacted directly by investigators. There are no elements against him, just a suspicion raised by his parliamentary assistant.
Yesterday afternoon, Cozzolino issued a press release saying: “Absolutely nothing to do with the investigation: I am not under investigation, I have not been interrogated, I have not been searched, let alone my office sealed.” Before taking action against him, prosecutors are obliged to contact the European Parliament to have him Parliamentary immunity. The police are examining the electronic devices seized in recent days to find further elements of the Qatargate investigation and based on the results of these analyzes and what Francesco Giorgi will say again, the prosecutor will assess the way forward if necessary.
“A terrible day, I feel like I’m in a bubble,” he explained over the phone with La Stampa last night. According to rumors leaked in the press, la Repubblica reported, the investigators’ question during his last interrogation, which lasted 12 hours, focused on the possibility that there would be a payment from Panzeri to the exponent of the Pd in the European Parliament, Giorgi, who explained have that ” it can be assumed ” that an exchange has taken place. Words that Cozzolino firmly denies, declaring in his press release that he does not “never met Persons associated with security authorities or services, nor have I ever pursued personal interests, advantages or benefits in my political life.” Investigations, particularly related to Rabat diplomacy and intelligence services.
Stressing that he has no possibility to interfere in the decision-making process of the European Parliament, the politician emphasized that “the delegations in the European Parliament are not part of the legislative process and, unlike the commissions, do not manage the EU budget funds and do not enter into any international agreements.” In addition, in an interview with La Stampa, he explained that he has no memory of going to Morocco: “I don’t remember going to Morocco, I have to look in the diary. I’ve been to Tunisia twice, Algeria twice, but yeah, that’s what it was about missions on behalf of the European Parliament. I was President of the Delegation for Relations with the Maghreb and in that capacity I took care of political relations, I didn’t take care of the technical dossiers”.
Then there is the question of the email sent to the whole S&D group just before the vote on the 24 November resolution on human rights at the football World Cup, asking them to vote against part of the text to vote, in which it was claimed that Qatar had received the World Cup thanks corruption. A request justified, as the email says, “the European Parliament should not blame a country without evidence judicial authorities competent”. Today Andrea Cozzolino continues his defense: “I will fight for the confirmation and defense of the truth and fully clear up unfounded suspicions. I am at the disposal of the judicial authority for any clarification and I have complete confidence in the work of the Belgian judiciary.”
Meanwhile, Belgian prosecutors continue their work and, as La Repubblica reports, the judges write in Giorgi and Panzeri’s arrest warrant that the three received a “primary motive: cooperation with Morocco and Qatar for money from the group payments for his activities. And in 2019 he had signed an agreement to intervene in favor of Morocco for money.