Qatargate: Panzeri’s and Giorgi’s relations with Morocco – Kaili’s role

“Do you also have wads of cash at home?”, is the question MEPs are hearing these days, according to foreign media reports, and not without reason. The investigation by the Belgian authorities continues, revealing more and more evidence about the activities of the ring and how the factory operated with the Qatari lobbies and more.

The corruption scandal within the European Parliament is taking a new turn, after the latest revelations that have come to light. Qatargate, which also involves jailed Greek MEP Eva Kaili, shares prominence with Moroccogate, with Spiegel stressing that bribes from Qatar pale in comparison to those from Morocco.

Is there “something else” in the belly of Brussels?

Qatargate and Morocco

The German magazine emphasizes that it is in possession of documents that prove that Morocco had a more active role in the organized bribery ring than Qatar.

“Morocco’s foreign intelligence services were paying their associates handsomely to influence the European Parliament’s Social Democrat group for the benefit of the Doha government.”

“Spiegel” reports that since 2019, Morocco’s foreign secret services had hired the former MEP, Pier Antonio Panzeri, the current MEP, Andrea Cozzolino, as well as his assistant and Eva Caili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, for the dirty work.

Behind the trio, as mentioned in the publication, is Abdelrahim Atmoun, the current ambassador of Morocco in Poland.

Enter the Moroccan spy

A few days earlier, Politico reported that there is now evidence of the activities of a spy from Morocco, named Mohamed Belahrech, and has been identified by the authorities as one of the main actors in the corruption scandal. Its code name is M118 and for many years it has been heard by many European spy agencies.

The Moroccan agent is at the center of a complex web that starts in Qatar and Morocco and extends to Italy, Poland and Belgium. In fact, the authorities suspect that he participated in several lobbies in order to gain contact with European MEPs.

The Minister of Justice of Belgium, Vincent Van Quickenborne, had given a barely disguised indication that Morocco is also being investigated for the scandal. Speaking to the Belgian parliament, he referred to “a country that in recent years is already in the foreground… when it comes to intervention”. By saying this he was thought to be referring to Morocco, as Rabat’s security service has been accused of spying in Belgium, where there is a large Moroccan diaspora.

Pantzeri’s relations with Morocco

For several years, Panzeri shared the presidency of the EU-Morocco joint parliamentary committee with Abdelrahim Atmoun, Morocco’s current ambassador to Poland, who allegedly took orders from Belahrech. Under the latter’s watch, Panzeri reportedly sealed his relationship with Morocco’s intelligence agency DGED after he failed to be re-elected to Parliament in 2019.

Belharech may also be the key to unraveling one of the long-standing mysteries of the Qatar scandal: the money trail. A Belgian extradition request seen by POLITICO refers to a mysterious character linked to a credit card given to Panzeri’s relatives — known as “the giant.” So the authorities are trying to see if the agent is the so-called “giant”.

The farce with the set questions

At the same time, the revelations about the mastermind of the ring, Antonio Panzeri, and the methods he used to influence the European Parliament in favor of Qatar, are causing a sensation.

According to La Repubblica, Panzeri even dictated MEPs’ questions to Labor Minister Ali Al Marri in the European Parliament.

The names listed are Alessandra Moretti, Andrea Coccolino and Mark Tarabella.

“We had prepared the hearing of the minister. Panzeri had written his speech and I had translated it. The goal was to highlight the reforms that had been made in Qatar,” Giorgi has said in his statement to the authorities.

“One thing that really annoys me is that many colleagues define these events with the term ‘Italian job’ as if it were a stain on our nation. The story does not only concern the Italians but also the Belgians, the Greeks and representatives of other nations. If nothing else, it’s a partisan issue, a socialist job,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The purpose of the rigged hearing, on November 14, was to highlight how important reforms Qatar had made.

The role of Kaili

It is recalled that Panzeri, Kaili and Georgi are in custody.

They are accused of criminal organization, corruption and money laundering.

Eva Kaili denies involvement and expressed regret for blindly trusting – as she said – her partner. However, her position is burdened – among others – by the baby bottles of her minor daughter, which were found in the suitcase with the money, which, she asked, her father to carry.

Coccolino is considered the next “possible target” of the Belgian authorities although he insists that he is not under investigation and is at the disposal of Justice.

According to Italian media, Panzeri, Kaili and Giorgi spoke about Coccolino in their depositions, with the former vice-president of the European Parliament stating about the money found in her home, that her partner “may have kept something for his boss, Andrea Coccolino”.