European Parliament

A key suspect in a spreading EU graft scandal, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, has cut a deal to divulge information about countries involved and bribes made, Belgian prosecutors said Tuesday.

Roberta Metsola achieved a number of firsts when she was elected president of the European Parliament a year ago.

She was the first person from Malta, the smallest European Union country, to hold the job; the first woman in 20 years; and, at 43, the youngest president in the Parliament's history.

Aleka Papariga, the former general secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), will not contest the next election for the party, thus bringing to an end a 30-year stint as MP.

The KKE said the party made the decision with the agreement of Papariga, 77, who headed the party from 1991 to 2013.

The Bulgarian MEP Elena Yoncheva was unable to win the post of Vice-President of the European Parliament.

The main article of French daily Le Soir focuses on the Belgian MEP Marie Arena, in the investigation it is conducting on Qatargate. The MEP who belongs to the Socialist group has been in the press on other occasions for her possible involvement in the Qatargate scandal, however she is not included among the MEPs for whom the lifting of immunity was requested.

The European Parliament has started an urgent procedure to remove the immunity of two more MEPs involved in the Qatargate scandal.

The president of the European Parliament has launched an urgent procedure to waive the immunity of two lawmakers following a request from Belgian judicial authorities investigating a major corruption scandal rocking EU politics.

"Bulgaria is ready and has the right to enter Schengen", stated the Acting Minister of Justice Krum Zarkov on BNT.

"We have the understanding of the member states, the European Commission, and now a strong resolution is expected from the European Parliament", he noted. "Bulgarians should have the same rights as Europeans", commented Krum Zarkov.

The EC hopes that the EU Council will take the historic decision in December.

Bulgaria and Romania fulfill all the criteria for joining Schengen. And for 11 years now. This was the joint position of the European Commission and all parties in the European Parliament, expressed during a debate in Strasbourg.

By Katerina Panagopoulou

In January, 2021, PASOK MP Andreas Loverdos [a top contender in the 2021 party leadership race in December of last year] was asked the question always posed to PASOK cadres: "With whom will you collaborate [in a coalition] government], and which party do you view as the opponent?"