Belgian prosecutors have requested the European Parliament to lift the legal immunity of two Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to allow for further investigation into their involvement in the Qatargate corruption scandal, the prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday.
The identities of the two MEPs under investigation have not been disclosed.
Qatargate first emerged in late 2022, when former Socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Parliamentary Assistant Francesco Giorgi, and other key figures such as Vice President of the European Parliament Eva Kailli were arrested in a series of raids. The scandal involved allegations of foreign interference and the discovery of bags of cash, casting a shadow over EU democracy.
Belgian authorities will have to wait for the European Parliament to complete a lengthy process before they can fully investigate the two MEPs. The lifting of their immunity will be formally addressed by President Metsola during a plenary session, possibly as early as Monday.
Following this, the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee will allow the two MEPs to defend themselves before the matter is submitted to the full Parliament for a final vote.
If the vote passes, Belgian authorities will be permitted to pursue legal charges against the Socialist MEPs.
