Italy court OKs handover in EU Parliament corruption case
By COLLEEN BARRY and LORNE COOK
Associated Press
BRESCIA, Italy (AP) — An Italian court has ruled that a suspect in a big corruption scandal linked to the European Parliament can be handed over to Belgium. The court decided that Maria Dolores Colleoni should go based on a European arrest warrant linking her to the scandal through her husband, former EU lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri. According to arrest warrants, Belgian prosecutors suspect her and their daughter of participating in a plan to peddle influence on behalf of Qatar and Morocco. Panzeri and three other suspects were charged on Dec. 9 with corruption, participation in a criminal group and money laundering. Belgian prosecutors say Colleoni and their daughter are suspected of being “fully aware” of Panzeri’s activities. Colleoni’s lawyers are considering an appeal.
