Belgium’s federal prosecutor is currently not requesting that the European Parliament lift the immunity of Belgian socialist MEP Marie Arena, one of the lawmakers suspected of having a significant role in the Qatargate scandal. According to Belgian media, the prosecutor’s office stated that only in the case of an indictment or an arrest warrant against Marie Arena would they require immunity to be lifted, but the investigation is not yet at that stage.
Qatargate is an ongoing scandal that has been in the limelight of EU politics since December of last year, when high-level MEPs, lobbyists, and their families were accused of accepting bribes from the Qatari and Moroccan governments in exchange for influencing parliament legislation. Most of the suspects involved are socialist lawmakers. The highest-ranking EU official is Greek MEP Eva Kaili, former vice president of the European Parliament, who was arrested a year ago on charges of participation in a criminal organisation, corruption, and money laundering. She is currently under house arrest.
Meanwhile, Marie Arena still enjoys her freedom, and despite resigning from her position as chair of the European Parliament’s human rights subcommittee, she has continued her parliamentary work as normal. But—as we previously reported—a leaked police report suggests that she could have had a more significant role in the scandal than she has admitted. It reveals phone calls and messages between her and former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, the main suspect in the corruption case. The calls suggest she was an essential figure in Panzeri’s network. She allegedly received jewellery and gifts and handled large sums of money.
Arena’s home in Brussels and properties connected to her family were raided by police in July as authorities seized laptops and documents. €280,000 in cash was found in the flat of her son, Ugo Lemaire, next door to Arena’s flat. The raids took place after the investigating judge, Michel Claise, was recused from the case because his son is the business partner of Ugo Lemaire in a cannabis business.
