Detained European lawmaker to cooperate with Belgian authorities on corruption scandal

By Selen Temizer

BRUSSELS (AA) - A detained European lawmaker agreed to cooperate with Belgian authorities concerning a corruption scandal that he is involved in along with other European officials, including the vice president of the European Parliament, Belgian authorities said Tuesday.

Pier Antonio Panzeri, former Italian member of the European Parliament, signed a repentance agreement where he committed to making substantial, revealing, truthful and complete statements about parties involved, and crimes committed in return for a reduced sentence, according to Belgium’s federal prosecutor.

He will inform Belgian authorities about financial arrangements with other involved countries, financial schemes that were set up, including stakeholders and benefits and the involvement of known and unknown individuals in the investigation.

Panzeri, along with European Parliament’s Vice President Eva Kalli, was arrested last December by Belgian police on corruption charges allegedly linked to Qatar.

Qatar has dismissed the "baseless and gravely misinformed" allegations and "categorically rejecting any attempts to associate it with accusations of misconduct."