Another twist in the Huawei lobbying scandal has revealed that the request to lift the immunity of MEP Giusi Princi has been withdrawn by Belgian authorities.
Princi (EPP - Italy) was among the five MEPs cited by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Wednesday as part of the investigation into Huawei's lobbying scandal inside the EU parliament. This has not been withdrawn, her office confirms.
"The President confirms the information regarding the withdraw of the request to lift MEP Princi's immunity," a spokesperson from Mestola's office told The Brussels Times.
"We are still waiting for the official documentation to arrive via the established official channels (Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Once received, it will be processed swiftly and President Metsola will make the announcement at the earliest next plenary session in June," he added.
However, Belgium's Public Prosecutor's Office declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation as its reasons.
Under the request of Belgian authorities, Metsola announced that she would ask the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee to vote to lift four MEPs who are being investigated.
These include immunity of Fulvio Martusciello (EPP - Italy), Salvatore de Meo (EPP - Italy), Daniel Attard (S&D - Malta) and Nikola Minchev (Renew Europe - Bulgaria). The next legal affairs committee meeting is also in early June.
So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the investigation. These include current and former Huawei employees together with lobbyists and assistants of MEPs.
Investigators believe that Huawei's lobbyists may have used undeclared payments and gifts to sway politicians, including giving away football tickets, lavish gifts, large cash payments and even all-expenses trips to China in exchange for support for the Chinese company.
"The Parliament has received a request for cooperation from the Belgian authorities to assist the investigation, which the Parliament has honoured," the European Parliament press office told The Brussels Times on Wednesday, adding that it has a policy of "zero tolerance" towards corruption and fraud.
Princi did not respond to a request for comment.
