Reached by telephone by “Repubblica” (which publishes an extensive interview) a few hours after his release, Luca Visentini, from Udine, secretary of the European trade union Etuc and since the end of November of the world union, Ituc, initially did not want to talk about the corruption affair which saw him involved together with five other people (of which 4 are still detained at the disposal of the Belgian prosecutor), even if the charges against him have been dropped. “I can’t say too much, a statement from the international confederation will be published on Tuesday 13 December”, he explains, letting slip that those days have just passed “heavy and dramatic days”.
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But then he agrees to explain the reasons for his involvement, and also for his release. Why was she involved? “The case is known. I ended up in this investigation because I collaborated with this foundation, Fight Impunity, recognized and financed by the European Parliament and which, as far as we know, dealt with the defense of human rights. It included European parliamentarians, former parliamentarians and former commissioners, mirrored personalities. I attended some conferences, and then instead it turned out that it would be a criminal organization, which has implemented corruption initiatives in the name and on behalf of the government of Qatar and, it would seem, of Morocco , to try to obtain more favorable conditions from the European Parliament. I have been accused of having been corrupted by them, to soften my positions, and those of the international union, towards these countries. I have provided the necessary information to the judiciary, and on that basis I was released on Monday morning, with some minimal conditions.”
What are these conditions? “I don’t have to talk to any of the suspects (as it is known out of six people questioned, four were arrested and two released, myself and another), I can travel freely within the European Union, if I go outside I have to inform the magistrates”.
Some of his speeches on Qatar were cited which seemed in some way to support the country’s policies. “What convinced the judge of the lack of foundation of these accusations is instead precisely the fact that my positions towards Qatar have always been very clear. For example, I said that it was positive that it had put in place some reforms, starting since the abolition of Kafala, this form of labor slavery which also exists in other areas of the Arab world, but I also said that they were not enough, that there still remained problems related to respect for human rights and the implementation of the reforms put in place And in any case my position has never been influenced by anyone”.