The names of the five MEPs connected to the Huawei lobbying controversy were made public by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Wednesday. She announced that the EU Parliament will vote to terminate Giusi Princi’s and Fulvio Martusciello’s immunity at the proposal of Belgium management.
Metsola also mentioned three additional EU parliamentarians who had acknowledged earlier this week that Belgian officials had approached them. MEPs Daniel Attard, Nikola Minchev, and Salvatore de Meo were among them.
Eight persons have been taken into custody as a result of the inquiry thus far. These include lobbyists and Lawmakers assistants, as well as present and former Huawei workers. Although no MEPs have been taken into custody as of yet, Martusciello’s name was anticipated following the arrest of his parliamentary aide in Italy in April.
According to investigators, Huawei’s lobbyists may have influenced lawmakers with unreported gifts and payments, such as free sports tickets, expensive presents, sizable cash transfers, and even all-expense-paid vacations to China, in return for backing for the Chinese business.
It was disclosed earlier this week that as part of a probe into Huawei’s cash-for-influence operation in Brussels, Belgian prosecutors had asked the European Parliament to revoke the immunity of the five MEPs without identifying them.
Prior to the revelation, De Meo, Attard, and Minchev—the three MEPs who had gone public—all denied any misconduct. According to De Meo, his issue concerns attending an aperitif, a social event that was not planned by Huawei. Representatives from the Huawei group were also present at the event, which was held outside the European Parliament.
The issue involving Maltese Labour MEP Daniel Attard pertains to a football game he watched in September from Huawei’s box seats at the Anderlecht stadium in Belgium.
“I was unaware that the invitation originated from a company or that it pertained to a corporate box. Subsequently, it became evident that the invitation was from an individual under investigation by the Belgian authorities, who aimed to discuss Huawei with me during the match,”
he stated.
Minchev, a Bulgarian Renew MEP, is also being investigated for going to Huawei’s box during a football game in Anderlecht.
“My presence at this event is now the reason for the management investigation into any potential issues or wrongdoing,”
he told the Bulgarian press. Adam Mukhtar, Minchev’s assistant, had his office raided by authorities in the middle of March.
The European Commission and European Parliament banned all Huawei lobbyists from accessing the organisation’s facilities in reaction to the controversy. Affiliates will be evaluated individually. Huawei stated it had no tolerance for corruption once the incident surfaced, but it hasn’t released an official comment since. The Legal Affairs Committee of the EU Parliament will vote on withdrawing the immunity of the five lawmakers after the announcement on Wednesday.
