Benifei: “We were wrong to trust Panzeri, now the Democratic Party is banning revolving doors”

FROM THE ENvoy IN BRUSSELS

Anyone who takes up a private business after having been a parliamentarian or minister, even for an NGO, will no longer be able to deal with the issues they have dealt with while working for the institutions for at least five years. It is the proposal that Brando Benifei, head of the delegation of the Democratic Party in Strasbourg, launches his party. An internal rule on “revolving doors”, to be transformed into state law, to respond to the Panzeri case.

During the interrogations, the investigators mentioned his name and it seems that Eva Kaili referred to his alleged involvement: why?

“What Kaili would have said is not at all clear. On the fact that my name was mentioned in the questions, I think it is normal as I am the head of the delegation of the Democratic Party and therefore I have a role ».

But precisely for this reason, how is it possible that he has never noticed anything strange?

«In recent years conflicting positions have also emerged within the group on the various issues, but these are differences linked to respectable political positions. It also happened in China, for example».

The Socialist-Democrats group suspended and denounced an official on suspicion of being corrupted by Doha and working for Iran, but he had been there for 15 years…

“If there has been incorrect behavior, it is right to have made these decisions. I remember that strange rumors were circulating about him and that for this reason I had raised the question, which will now have to be investigated with the leaders of the group”.

Have the positions taken on Morocco and Qatar never aroused any suspicion?

«To understand that these were not legitimate political positions, the work of five Secret Services was needed, the wiretaps. That said, some political discussions had opened up on Qatar, albeit only recently and following a few episodes, such as Kaili’s incomprehensible plenary speech or after Cozzolino’s email. In Morocco, on the other hand, things are a bit different».

Was there an underestimation?

«The judiciary will establish whether there has been any interference, but in my opinion the S&D group has taken the wrong positions on Morocco, contrary to those I defended. So much so that I had co-signed some initiatives with Ana Gomes, who has had great battles. I was one of the few to vote for the referral to the Court of Justice of the trade agreement which did not respect the rights of the Sahrawi people. On Morocco I had positions opposite to those of Panzeri».

What relationship did you have with him after the end of his mandate?

«I happened to talk to us about national policy issues, he was an executive of Article One. But he never contacted me for foreign policy matters: perhaps precisely because he knew how I thought. I have never even exchanged a whatsapp with Giorgi ».

So you have nothing to reproach yourself with?

«Having to make a self-criticism, I would say that we were wrong to trust Panzeri. He was still very present in the corridors of Parliament, but who would have thought that he did the things he is now accused of? After all, in June, President Roberta Metsola was also at a conference co-organized by Fight Impunity within Parliament. Now we have understood that trust is no longer enough, rules are needed and the Democratic Party should urgently set an example with stringent rules on revolving doors to prevent those who have worked in the institutions from exploiting their relationships ».

How?

«We need to establish a “cooling-off” period: anyone who has been a parliamentarian, MEP or minister will no longer be able to deal with the topics they have dealt with in their private activities for a certain period. I say for at least five years. And this should also be extended to activities within NGOs, which unfortunately have been discredited by this affair. As Pd MEPs, we propose to the party to equip itself immediately with clear rules to set an example and then make a battle to introduce a special law”.