Latest news with #DanielAttard
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Belgium bugs stadium to spy on Chinese tech bosses
Belgian security services bugged a football stadium in a probe into alleged corruption involving Huawei and the European Parliament. Listening devices were placed in a corporate box being used by the Chinese tech giant to entertain MEPs at Lotto Park, the home of RSC Anderlecht. Investigators also listened to conversations by one of Huawei's top lobbyists in his car as part of the sprawling investigation. To date, the probe has seen more than 20 premises raided and requests lodged for the immunity of four MEPs to be lifted as investigators look into suspected corruption within the EU Parliament. When the investigation was first revealed to the public in March, the Belgian authorities said 'regular invitations to football matches' were being used by lobbyists linked to Huawei to secure favourable political statements. The Chinese state-backed tech firm rented a corporate box at Anderlecht's stadium for the 2024/2025 season, the Politico news website reported. The Belgian Pro League's most successful-ever side hosted clubs like Porto and Fenerbahce this season in the Europa League, Europe's second-tier competition. Belgian authorities are looking into whether the private box was used as part of an attempt to schmooze MEPs, which could be later used to further Huawei's position in EU policymaking. Two of the four MEPs for whom investigators have requested their parliamentary immunity to be lifted have admitted to attending football matches at Anderlecht. Daniel Attard, a Maltese socialist, and Nikola Minchev, a Bulgarian liberal, said they didn't know they'd been invited by Huawei in separate statements. 'I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company, or that it involved a corporate box,' said Mr Attard, after watching Anderlecht's Europa League clash with Hungarian side Ferencváros in February 2024. 'I was simply informed by my assistant that a friend of his had tickets to the match and asked whether I would be interested in accompanying him and his son,' he added, in the statement published on Facebook. Mr Minchev said his parliamentary assistant told him a 'friend and neighbour' had invited him to watch a fixture against Ludogrets, from his native Bulgaria, in October 2024. Both MEPs have strongly denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged by the authorities. Requests were also lodged for the immunity of Fulvio Martusciello and Salvatore De Meo, two Italians from the centre-right European People's Party, to be lifted. They also have not been charged and deny any wrongdoing. The European Parliament has desperately tried to clamp down on lobbying efforts within its institution after several scandals in recent years. Several high-profile MEPs and former MEPs, including a vice president of the Parliament, were arrested in a probe into the 'Qatargate' scandal, where the Gulf nation was accused of using cash handouts to seek favourable decisions on visas and flight rules. Officials have since restricted the movement of lobbyists inside the Parliament's Brussels and Strasbourg seats in hope of deterring meetings with MEPs. MEPs can technically accept gifts of up to €150 in value but must declare them on a register of interests, meaning there is a fine line between lobbying and entertaining. Huawei and the Belgian prosecutor's office have been approached for comment on the latest allegations involving its box at Anderlecht. A spokesman for the football club said it had 'no intention to renew' its contract with the tech firm, which expires at the end of the season. They also said they had received no prior warning from the Belgian authorities regarding the bugging of the box. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Belgium bugs stadium to spy on Chinese tech bosses
Belgian security services bugged a football stadium in a probe into alleged corruption involving Huawei and the European Parliament. Listening devices were placed in a corporate box being used by the Chinese tech giant to entertain MEPs at Lotto Park, the home of RSC Anderlecht. Investigators also listened to conversations by one of Huawei 's top lobbyists in his car as part of the sprawling investigation. To date, the probe has seen more than 20 premises raided and requests lodged for the immunity of four MEPs to be lifted as investigators look into suspected corruption within the EU Parliament. When the investigation was first revealed to the public in March, the Belgian authorities said 'regular invitations to football matches' were being used by lobbyists linked to Huawei to secure favourable political statements. The Chinese state-backed tech firm rented a corporate box at Anderlecht's stadium for the 2024/2025 season, the Politico news website reported. The Belgian Pro League's most successful-ever side hosted clubs like Porto and Fenerbahce this season in the Europa League, Europe's second-tier competition. Belgian authorities are looking into whether the private box was used as part of an attempt to schmooze MEPs, which could be later used to further Huawei's position in EU policymaking. Two of the four MEPs for whom investigators have requested their parliamentary immunity to be lifted have admitted to attending football matches at Anderlecht. Daniel Attard, a Maltese socialist, and Nikola Minchev, a Bulgarian liberal, said they didn't know they'd been invited by Huawei in separate statements. 'I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company, or that it involved a corporate box,' said Mr Attard, after watching Anderlecht's Europa League clash with Hungarian side Ferencváros in February 2024. 'I was simply informed by my assistant that a friend of his had tickets to the match and asked whether I would be interested in accompanying him and his son,' he added, in the statement published on Facebook. Mr Minchev said his parliamentary assistant told him a 'friend and neighbour' had invited him to watch a fixture against Ludogrets, from his native Bulgaria, in October 2024. Both MEPs have strongly denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged by the authorities. Requests were also lodged for the immunity of Fulvio Martusciello and Salvatore De Meo, two Italians from the centre-right European People's Party, to be lifted. They also have not been charged and deny any wrongdoing. The European Parliament has desperately tried to clamp down on lobbying efforts within its institution after several scandals in recent years. Several high-profile MEPs and former MEPs, including a vice president of the Parliament, were arrested in a probe into the 'Qatargate' scandal, where the Gulf nation was accused of using cash handouts to seek favourable decisions on visas and flight rules. Officials have since restricted the movement of lobbyists inside the Parliament's Brussels and Strasbourg seats in hope of deterring meetings with MEPs. MEPs can technically accept gifts of up to €150 in value but must declare them on a register of interests, meaning there is a fine line between lobbying and entertaining. Huawei and the Belgian prosecutor's office have been approached for comment on the latest allegations involving its box at Anderlecht. A spokesman for the football club said it had 'no intention to renew' its contract with the tech firm, which expires at the end of the season. They also said they had received no prior warning from the Belgian authorities regarding the bugging of the box.
South China Morning Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
European Parliament names 5 lawmakers targeted in Huawei bribery scandal
The European Parliament has named five of its lawmakers whom Belgian prosecutors have targeted in a bribery scandal investigation involving Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies Authorities have asked the parliament to waive the lawmakers' immunity so that they can be investigated under the probe, which has been running for two months. They are accused of accepting gifts from Huawei in exchange for lobbying for the firm's interests in the parliament. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Wednesday named the lawmakers as Maltese Socialist MEP Daniel Attard, Bulgarian centrist lawmaker Nikola Minchev and three Italian members from the centre-right European People's Party – Salvatore De Meo, Fulvio Martusciello and Giusi Princi. The parliament's committee on legal affairs will now consider the request from Belgium's federal prosecutor and draft a report. The committee will vote on waiving immunity, after which a final decision will be taken in a vote of all the parliament's 720 members. Huawei has denied any wrongdoing, saying it 'has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption or other wrongdoing, and we are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times'.
