European Parliament President Roberta Metsola revealed the name of the five MEPs implicated in the Huawei lobbying scandal on Wednesday.
Under the request of Belgian authorities, Metsola revealed that the European Parliament will vote to lift the immunity of Fulvio Martusciello (EPP - Italy) and Giusi Princi (EPP - Italy).
Three other EU lawmakers – who had confirmed they had been contacted by Belgian authorities earlier this week – were also named by Metsola. These were MEPs Salvatore de Meo (EPP - Italy), Daniel Attard (S&D - Malta) and Nikola Minchev (Renew Europe - Bulgaria).
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. While no MEPs have been arrested yet, Martusciello's name had been expected after his parliamentary assistant was arrested in Italy in April.
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, adding that it has a policy of "zero tolerance" towards corruption and fraud.
Corporate boxes, aperitifs
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Belgian prosecutors had requested the European Parliament to lift the immunity of the five MEPs, without naming them, as part of an investigation into Huawei's cash-for-influence scheme in Brussels.
The three MEPs who had gone public, De Meo, Attard and Minchev, all denied wrongdoing ahead of the announcement.
Huawei Paris headquarter, the United States put pressure on Europe, Huawei is suspected of being the Trojan horse of Beijing in communication networks on February 12, 2019 in Boulogne Billancourt, France. Credit: Belga / AFP
De Meo claims that his case relates to the participation in a social gathering (aperitif), which he says was not organised by Huawei. It took place outside the European Parliament and was also attended by representatives of the Huawei group.
"I am astonished to learn of the Belgian Public Prosecutor's request to waive my parliamentary immunity, a request that would also appear to concern other colleagues," he told Italian news agency ANSA.
The case for Maltese Labour MEP Daniel Attard concerns a football match he attended in September in Huawei’s box seats at the Anderlecht football stadium in Brussels.
"I was not informed that the invitation came from a company or that it was a corporate box. It later became clear that the invitation came from a person who was currently being investigated by the Belgian authorities and who intended to talk to me about Huawei during the match," he said on social media.
Bulgarian Renew MEP Minchev is also under investigation for visiting Huawei's box during an Anderlecht football match. "My presence at this event is now the reason why the authorities want to investigate whether there was any wrongdoing," he told Bulgarian media. In mid-March, police raided the office of Minchev's assistant, Adam Mukhtar.
In response to the scandal, the European Commission and the European Parliament revoked the access to all Huawei lobbyists from entering its premises. Affiliates will be judged on a case-by-case basis. After the scandal broke, Huawei said it had "zero tolerance" on corruption but has not made an official statement.
Following Wednesday's announcement, the European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee will vote on the lifting of the five MEPs' immunity.
Both Martusciello and Princi did not respond to a request for comment.
