BRUSSELS ― The European Parliament is poised to address requests from Belgian authorities to lift the immunity of two Italian MEPs, Fulvio Martusciello and Giusi Princi, as part of a broad investigation into a corruption scandal linked to the Chinese technology giant Huawei. This development comes from information provided by three EU officials.
Expanding investigation into political influence
This latest move follows similar requests concerning three other Members of the European Parliament: Maltese Socialist Daniel Attard, Bulgarian liberal Nikola Minchev, and Salvatore De Meo from the European People’s Party. All three have publicly asserted their innocence and expressed their willingness to cooperate fully with the Belgian authorities.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola is anticipated to formally announce the names of the implicated MEPs during the opening of a plenary session on Wednesday afternoon.
Investigating Huawei’s lobbying tactics
Belgian officials are delving into allegations of a scheme employed by Huawei lobbyists aimed at enhancing the company’s influence within EU policymaking circles. Investigators are examining potential misconduct, which may include payments for political favors, lavish gifts, funded travel, and invitations to events. The scope of these alleged activities is believed to span from 2021 to the end of 2024.
Martusciello’s involvement was highlighted in previous reports following the arrest of his assistant in Italy, as part of the ongoing investigation. It’s important to note that a request to lift a lawmaker’s immunity does not automatically imply any wrongdoing; it merely allows law enforcement agencies to summon them for questioning and pursue further investigations.
Martusciello and Princi did not respond to a request for comment.