«The first night in the cell was horrible, only a book saved me. Cash? A donation»- Corriere.it

FROM OUR REPORTER
BRUSSELS – Two weeks were not enough for Luca Visentini to completely overcome the shock of the 48 hours of arrest for the Qatargate bribes passed, the magistrates say, by Antonio Panzeri’s NGO Fight impunity. We meet the secretary of the International Union of Trade Unions (Ituc) in a downtown bar.

What did you feel when the police arrived at your home?

“Incredulity and a sense of bewilderment. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong and I didn’t understand what was happening to me and why».

He must have known that from the arrest warrant.
“They just made me read it, very quickly. In that situation it was very difficult to understand everything, also because it was in French and I don’t speak that language. I realized that reference was made to an international corruption network.”

The first night in the cell?
“Horrible because I knew I was innocent. Luckily they allowed me to keep a book with me. It served to try to distract me.

Arrested on Friday 9, the interrogation of the judge on Saturday is postponed to the following day. As they took her back to her cell what did she think?
“I felt anguish and frustration at not having been able to explain and clarify my innocence. The night was bad. I had a very bad headache and they didn’t let me take medicine. I was constantly thinking about my family and union colleagues.’

The day, interrogation.
“It lasted about an hour. The questions concerned the accusation of being part of a criminal association, then there were corruption and money laundering. I disputed all of them and provided the judge with all the information and explanations that were requested of me. I immediately said that I had only participated in public and free cultural activities on human rights”.

They accuse her of having received two envelopes from Panzeri with a total of 50,000 euros. Why did she give them to him?
«It was a donation from the Fight Impunity association which, as is usually the case, was used partly to reimburse the costs of my campaign for the world trade union congress, partly to support the participation of trade unions with limited economic resources in the congress» .

Didn’t it seem strange that I don’t suspect he gave her some cash?
“It seemed strange to me, but I had no suspicions about an NGO that seemed to have a mirrored reputation. I remember asking Panzeri why she gave me cash, her explanation was that the association collected funding from donors who operated in countries with authoritarian regimes and who therefore cannot use banking channels because otherwise they would be identified ».

Later, however, she went to Qatar with him in early November. To do what?
«I had been invited by the international labor organization of the United Nations and by the government which, as always happens in institutional visits of this type, covered the cost of the trip. At the end of the visit, I gave an interview to an international news agency explaining that, despite some important reforms, the human and workers’ rights situation in Qatar is still absolutely unsatisfactory and there is a need to keep up the pressure on the government and on businesses, even after the end of the World Cup. A very critical position.

The investigations continue with the accusation that she continues to believe that more money than the 50,000 euros went to her.
“It is not so”.

Did you know Giorgi, Kaili and Andrea Cozzolino, who is associated with Panzeri?
“None of them”.

When they released you, how did you feel?
“Relieved and happy.”

Panzeri and Giorgi seem to have exonerated her.
“I’m glad the truth is emerging.”

Have you received solidarity?
«From all over the world, from many colleagues and friends».

And from the union?
«I am in a suspension situation to allow the Ituc to clarify all the implications and the impact of this affair. It is a path that I share and I hope to be able to resume my work when everything is clarified. I have dedicated my whole life to the union, the defense of workers is my mission”.