Italy agrees to send suspect in EU graft scam to Belgium

BRESCIA, Italy (Reuters – An Italian court agreed on Monday to hand over to Belgian authorities a second female suspect in a Qatar graft scam that has rocked European Parliament.

A northern Brescia court of appeals ruled Silvia Pantzeri could be extradited, after it had twice delayed a ruling in anticipation of a report on conditions at Belgian prisons.

Her lawyers said that the request should not have been accepted last month due to overcrowding at Belgian prisons. The judges requested information from Brussels about its prison system. This has taken several weeks.

Panzeri, 38 is the daughter a former EU lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri. He is believed by Brussels prosecutors as one of the major players in the alleged corrupt activities. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The transfer to Brussels of Maria Dolores Colleoni (the wife of Pier Antonio Panzeri, and mother of Silvia) was already approved by the same court with a different set judges.

Colleoni is currently in Italy. However, her lawyers have filed an appeal against Colleoni’s transfer with Italy’s highest appeals court. The decision is expected to be made on January 31.

(Reporting by Emilio Parodi, Editing by Keith Weir).