Five EU lawmakers face loss of immunity over Huawei scandal
Five members of the European Parliament are facing the loss of their immunity due to suspicions of corruption linked to the Chinese company Huawei.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in the plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday that she had received the request from the authorities in Belgium to lift the parliamentary immunity – that is, the protection of the lawmakers from prosecution.
She stated that the request would now be referred to the Legal Affairs Committee.
The lawmakers involved are the Italian representatives Fulvio Martusciello, Giusi Princi and Salvatore De Meo from the European People's Party (EPP), the Maltese Social Democrat Daniel Attard, and the Bulgarian lawmaker Nikola Minchev from Renew Europe.
The Belgian public prosecutor's office charged eight individuals two months ago in a potential new corruption scandal in the European Parliament, accusing them of active corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. In mid-March, offices in the European Parliament were searched.
The investigations revolve around allegations that the Chinese technology company Huawei attempted to exert undue influence on decision-making processes.
Chinese technology companies like Huawei have been criticized for years. There are particular fears that China could gain influence over Western telecommunications infrastructure.
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