Morocco: The former European representative, Pierre Antonio Panzeri, has made explosive revelations about the political corruption system of the Moroccan Makhzen.
Records revealed that the Makhzen regime bought debts of some European representatives with money to achieve political gains. According to leaked information, the Makhzen ambassador in Warsaw, Abderrahim Atoumn, played a central role in this scandal.
Panziri confessed to having received more than 180,000 euros in cash, as well as gifts and tourist trips at the expense of the Moroccan regime. In exchange for this, he defended Rabat’s interests in the European Parliament and was responsible for promoting a “Moroccan” thesis, Western Sahara, whose natural wealth and marine resources are depleted by the Makhzen, with the complicity of Europeans.
Panziri also revealed that he had a close relationship with Abdel Rahim Othmoun, Morocco’s ambassador to Poland, who had been a member of Morocco’s parliament since 2003. The two men met in Milan, where Othmoun owns a jazz club. Panziri also admitted to having suggested four names to the Moroccan Abd al-Rahim Othmoun to bring the elected representatives of the European Parliament closer together.
Although Panziri changed position in February 2017, to the presidency of the human rights sub-committee, this did not prevent him from maintaining good relations with Abd al-Rahim Othmoun and with Morocco. He confirmed to investigators that between 2017 and the end of his mandate in July 2019, he had been invited several times to Casablanca and Marrakech, and that the week-long stay at the Mamounia hotel, the most luxury of Morocco, had been made to the detriment of the Makhzen regime.
Panziri founded a non-profit organization called “Association against impunity” when he decided not to run for the European Parliament in May 2019. The Makhzen regime also wanted to get closer to elected members of the European Parliament. Panziri suggested four names to Moroccan Abd al-Rahim Othmoun, according to his testimony.
Panziri’s testimony revealed the extent of the political corruption of the Moroccan Makhzen and its impact on political decisions at the European level. The revelations caused a great stir in European political and media circles.
