Italy approves extradition of ex-MEP's wife implicated in corruption scandal to Belgium

An Italian court ruled on Monday that a suspect in the major corruption scandal that has erupted around the European Parliament may be extradited to our country. The suspect in question is Maria Colleoni, the wife of former MEP and pivotal figure in the case, Pier Antonio Panzeri .

The Belgian investigating judge Michel Claise had earlier provided Italy with extradition requests for Panzeri's 38-year-old daughter and his 67-year-old wife. The court in our country suspects that the two were aware of Panzeri's illegal affairs and played an active role themselves. 

The court in the northern city of Brescia has now decided that Colleoni can be transferred to Belgium, but any sentence must be served in Italy. However, it is unlikely that Colleoni will be extradited any time soon. Indeed, her lawyers revealed that they are considering appealing with Italy's highest court. They have five days to do so. 

^{Pier Antonio Panzeri speaking during a plenary session in Strasbourg. © Marc Dossmann EUROPEAN UNION / AFP}