“My client regrets that with his behavior he has harmed the left, his political faction,” Laurent Quen, lawyer for Antonio Panzeri, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

“In the beginning, he was in contact with the Qatari left, which by our standards is far right, but showed minimal interest in workers’ rights, contributing from 2017 to 2019 to improve the situation. A relationship consistent with Pancheri’s ideas, which he, however, completely betrayed from the moment he took the money, ”added the lawyer.

He explained that “his client began to think about the possibility of cooperation with the Belgian justice shortly before Christmas”, as “he is 68 years old and the trial will probably start when he is 72 years old.” “He wants to finish this business as quickly as possible,” Laurent Ken said.

To a related question from Corriere, he replies: “Panzeri is accused of corruption because he was a member of the European Parliament until 2019, and of corruption because he is considered the leader of a criminal organization that pursues the goal of corruption.” His counsel confirms that his client’s plea agreement provides for a five-year sentence, of which he will only serve one year in a correctional facility, which he considers an “average sentence” given the circumstances of the case.

Referring to the testimony of Eva Kaili, recalled by Corriere, and the statement “the bag found in her house belonged to Puncheri,” the lawyer for the former Italian MEP stressed: “Kailie is trying to defend herself. Puncheri will speak, he will tell the truth. The agreement with the prosecution provides for a preliminary statement, but he will not be the accuser of the rest.

Commenting on his statement that “Panzeri is not the mastermind behind the organisation”, his defender clarified:

“He is one of the leaders of a non-pyramid organization with a major mafia leader. There are individuals from Qatar and Morocco who recommend corruption to others. Puncheri is only an intermediary. He speaks neither French nor English, only Italian. Therefore, it is difficult for him to be a leader and negotiate with Qatar and Morocco.”

According to the lawyer of the former Italian MEP, the cooperation agreement does not concern his daughter and wife, but “he hopes for better treatment for them.”

Finally, with regard to the conditions of Panchery’s detention, Laurent Ken emphasized:

“He is being held in Saint-Gilles, one of the two worst prisons in Belgium. Many judges acknowledged that the conditions in this penitentiary do not respect human dignity. My client is in the same situation as other prisoners.”

Source: RES-IPE