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Belgian authorities on Friday arrested MEP Marc Tarabella, who had already been ejected from his socialist party, in the probe connected to alleged corruption in the European Parliament.
A spokesperson for the Belgian prosecutor confirmed the arrest after an earlier report by Flemish broadcaster VRT.
Tarabella’s attorney Maxim Töller told POLITICO his client had not yet appeared in front of the investigative judge.
In a follow-up press release, the prosecutor also confirmed that various raids took place on Friday morning. A safe deposit box of Tarabella’s at a bank in Liège was searched, as well as multiple offices in the Walloon town of Anthisnes, where Tarabella is still mayor.
The European Parliament waived immunity for both Tarabella and fellow MEP Andrea Cozzolino in a plenary session last Thursday, paving the way for Belgian investigators to interrogate them. Three other suspects are in prison.
The prosecutor did not comment on what charges Tarabella may face or whether any police action is pending toward Cozzolino, who is Italian.
Delphine Colard, deputy spokesperson of the European Parliament, said: “We never comment on ongoing judicial procedures. The Parliament always cooperates in full with the authorities.”
According to parliamentary reports, violations of Belgian law by Tarabella and Cozzolino could include corruption, participation in a criminal organization and money laundering.
Late last week, the Belgian investigative judge leading the case released from prison one of the four original detainees in the case, Niccolò Figà-Talamanca — secretary-general of No Peace Without Justice, one of the nongovernmental organizations linked to the corruption scandal.
Three other suspects, former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili, her partner Francesco Giorgi and former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri are still in prison. In January, Panzeri struck a deal to cooperate with the investigators.
Both Tarabella and Cozzolino deny any wrongdoing.
Barbara Moens contributed reporting.
