A Belgian member of the European Parliament linked to the corruption scandal that rocked the bloc in December was detained for questioning on Friday.
Belgian police conducted a series of raids across the country, the federal prosecutor’s office said.
Prosecutors referred to the EU MEP only as MT, but a source close to the case confirmed that Marc Tarabella, 59, had been detained early on Friday.
Four others, including Greek MEP Eva Kaili, are already in custody in Belgium facing charges of corruption and money laundering in relation to alleged payments from Qatar and Morocco. Both countries deny involvement.
Several raids on Friday morning targeted Mr Tarabella, including offices in Liege and the town hall of Anthisnes, where he is mayor.
Mr Tarabella was “detained for questioning” and the judge overseeing the case will decide in the coming hours whether he should appear before him, prosecutors said.
The European Parliament last week voted to lift his immunity from prosecution, and that of Italian fellow MEP Andrea Cozzolino, after a request by Belgian investigators.
Both have insisted they are innocent and Mr Tarabella has said he was looking forward to the chance to clear his name.
The scandal centres on allegations that Qatari and Moroccan officials offerd bribes to influence decisions at the European Parliament.
According to the report compiled to lift Mr Taraballa’s immunity, a Belgian investigation showed that he “may have been involved in acts of corruption connected with interference by one or more foreign states aimed at influencing the debates and decisions taken in the European Parliament”.
It said “testimony against him suggests that such payments were made to him on several occasions, amounting to a total of between ”€120,000 and €140,000 ($132,00 and $154,000).
Ms Kaili was one of the parliament's 14 vice presidents although she has since been stripped of that position.
The others detained are her boyfriend, Francesco Giorgi, former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, head of a charity group.
Mr Panzeri cut a deal with prosecutors last month in return for a lighter sentence, promising to reveal details of who was being bribed.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The five pillars of Islam
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
