Latest news with #RobertaMetsola
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
European Parliament names five 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. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. 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'. The development comes after Belgian authorities asked the body to remove immunity for the lawmakers so that their involvement in the gifts-for-influence affair could be investigated. The scandal erupted in March when 100 Belgian police raided several premises in a case focused on 'active corruption' in the parliament as well as for 'forgery and use of false documents'. 'The corruption is said to have been practised regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day,' the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said in a statement at the time. It transpired 'under the guise of commercial lobbying and taking various forms, such as remuneration for taking political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches', the office added. Following police raids on premises in Belgium, France and Portugal, eight people have been charged with active corruption, money laundering and criminal organisation. Among those charged is one of Huawei's top executives in Europe, Politico reported. Two of those named had already publicly confirmed that they were part of the investigation. In a statement posted on social media, Attard said he watched a football match in Huawei's corporate box at the stadium of the Brussels-based team Anderlecht. 'I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company or that it involved a corporate box,' Attard said. 'It has since emerged that the invitation came from a person who is currently under investigation by the Belgian authorities and who intended to speak to me about Huawei during the match.' Minchev, the Bulgarian MEP, told local media that he also attended a match in the Huawei box last October. 'I will cooperate 100 per cent and I will ask the EP to lift the immunity as quickly as possible,' Minchev said, adding that his assistant at the time had said 'his friend and neighbour invited us to watch Anderlecht [play] Ludogorets at the stadium'. 'The organiser later turned out to be the main actor in an investigation that began in 2021, and my then-assistant was also involved in this case,' the Bulgarian politician added. 'My presence at that event is now the reason why the authorities want to investigate whether there was anything wrong with this.' Martusciello was among the lawmakers who signed MEP letters to the commission four years ago criticising policies closing the European market to Chinese firms. Princi, meanwhile, is accused of meeting with Huawei last summer but not declaring the engagement. According to Euractiv, a media outlet, Princi denied having attended, claiming she was in Italy at her daughter's school party that day and saying she could prove it with 'numerous supporting documents'. The scandal has upset the chances of a potential EU-China detente that has seen Beijing lift sanctions on sitting lawmakers to try to soothe ties that have deteriorated rapidly over the last few years. More from South China Morning Post: For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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.
Euronews
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
European Parliament weighs immunity for 5 MEPs over Huawei probe
Belgian authorities have asked the European Parliament to waive the immunity of five of its members, Parliament's president Roberta Metsola announced at the beginning of a plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday. The request relates to the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and illicit lobbying practices involving Chinese company Huawei and some EU lawmakers and assistants. Three of the five MEPs involved belong to the center-right European People's Party: the Italians Salvatore De Meo, Giusi Princi and Fulvio Martusciello. The others are the Maltese Socialist MEP Daniel Attard and the Bulgarian Renew Europe's MEP Nikola Minchev. In a previous statement to Euronews, Martusciello denied corruption, stating that he had only fleetingly met Huawei lobbyists, and that he and his staff never attended the firm's offices. De Meo anticipated his inclusion in the list telling Italian news agency Ansa: 'In my case, [the request] is linked to my participation in a convivial meeting, not organised by Huawei, which took place outside the European Parliament and which was also attended by representatives of the Huawei group." He claimed he has never taken a position in favour of Huawei, either by signing letters, presenting amendments or any legislative activity attributable to the company's interests. Attard said on his Facebook page that the request related to his presence at a football match between Belgian team Anderlecht and Hungarian team Ferencváros last September. 'I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company, or that it involved a corporate box. I was simply informed by my assistant that a friend of his had tickets to the match [...] It has since emerged that the invitation came from a person who is currently under investigation by the Belgian authorities and who intended to speak to me about Huawei during the match,' wrote the Maltese MEP. The topic was briefly raised during the game, reads the post, and a meeting was subsequently requested, which took place two weeks later in Strasbourg. Attard stated he has not communicated with the company since, and took 'no action' in relation to it or matters related to the company, and he wrote to President Metsola to formally ask for his immunity to be waived. Attendance at an Anderlecht football match (Anderlecht-Ludogorets last October) was behind the request for Bulgarian MEP Minchev, he said in a statement to the Bulgarian press agency BTA. 'I will cooperate one hundred percent and I will ask the EP to lift the immunity as quickly as possible, because I have no connection to any illegal activity of these people, nor anything to worry about,' he said. Each request for waiver will be now be assigned to a rapporteur on the European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), whose next meeting is foreseen for 4-5 June. The JURI Committee will prepare a report approving or rejecting the request by the Belgian prosecutor, while each MEP concerned will be given an opportunity to be heard, and may present any documents or other written evidence. The Parliament's plenary will have the final say, deciding whether to lift or not the MEP's immunity with a vote by simple majority. None of the five MEPs replied to requests for comment from Euronews.
Euronews
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Brussels goofiest gifts: the weird world of EU Parliament gifts
ADVERTISEMENT A corruption scandal involving Chinese tech giant Huawei reignited discussions earlier this year around gifts and donations received by EU lawmakers. While MEPs often find themselves on the receiving end of such tokens of appreciation, the whole gifting affair remains a delicate matter in Brussels and Strasbourg According to the European Parliament's code of conduct, MEPs must steer clear of gifts worth more than €150. If a gift crosses that line, it lands in the hands of Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who then acts as judge, jury, and occasional reluctant gift recipient. All these treasures (and some definite oddities) are logged in a public register and tucked away safely behind a locked door in Brussels, accessible only when an MEP asks to visit the collection. We took a peek behind the door of this cabinet of curiosities and were left scratching our heads. A dagger from far beyond Indonesian dagger called 'Keris Luk 7 Pandawa' European Parliament Among the stranger entries: a traditional Indonesian dagger called 'Keris Luk 7 Pandawa' – and no, it's not part of the EU plan to boost defence investments in Europe. The dagger made quite a journey: gifted during a parliamentary mission to Indonesia, passed to the vice-chair of the development committee, who later handed it over to the chair in a committee meeting. The ceremonial blade now quietly sits in Brussels, just in case. A flag from farther beyond The EU flag from the space European Parliament The European Space Agency reached for the stars when it gifted Metsola an EU flag that had been to the International Space Station. That's right, among the pens and plaques no one really wants, there's a piece of space history. Eurovision wannabes In what might be the most optimistic pitch of all time, Italian singer Stefano Picchi sent Metsola a CD - yes, in 2023 - with 11 songs and even a chord booklet, in case the Maltese president felt like jamming. One track was a tribute to late President David Sassoli, which Picchi hoped could be performed at the Eurovision Song Contest that year. A slight snag: Picchi was never chosen to perform in Eurovision – despite being listed in the Parliament's archives as a 2022 Eurovision song contest participant. Among the songs, there was also one Picchi claimed to have written with Pope Francis by quoting from some of the pontiff's speeches, a type of divine telepathic coproduction Modern art A nude female figure from Cyprus European Parliament Representing the 'modern art' category: a reproduction of a nude female figure from Cyprus, gifted by Annita Demetriou, the President of the Cypriot parliament. ADVERTISEMENT It's modelled after an ancient idol housed in the Pierides Museum. Cultural, sure – but maybe not what you'd expect to unwrap at the office. Radio days are so back European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib recently caused a stir by showing off a 72-hour emergency kit featuring, among other things, a portable radio. Critics called her alarmist – until a blackout hit the Iberian Peninsula last week and everyone realised a little old-school tech isn't such a bad idea after all. Portable radios earlier made their way to Irish MEPs as gifts from Irish music rights organisations. So yes, vinyl might be trendy, but radios are still practical. ADVERTISEMENT Sports memorabilia Signed jersey from Spain's national women's football team European Parliament Roberta Metsola was also gifted a signed jersey from Spain's national women's football team – the year before they won the World Cup. Call it a lucky charm. She also received a signed Dinamo Kyiv shirt, and the European Parliament's own rugby team made the list with commemorative gear from their historic Parliamentary World Cup debut. Booze, books, and bric-a-brac Some things never go out of style. Alcohol is still a go-to gift, with MEPs receiving everything from Scotch whisky to Bordeaux wines and French champagne. When in doubt in life, as at the European Parliament, bring a bottle. Also scattered throughout the archives: traditional musical instruments like the viola braguesa from Portugal, a Moldovan kaval, and a Moroccan Arabic lyra. ADVERTISEMENT But for every gem, there's a handful of touristy trinkets: keychains, pins, mini-monuments, and enough paperweights to sink a filing cabinet. Basically, a Brussels-style flea market behind locked doors.
Russia Today
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU Parliament head threatens to sue von der Leyen
The European Parliament has warned the European Commission (EC) that it could take it to court if it bypasses EU lawmakers to create a €150 billion ($170 billion) loan program to boost defense spending across the bloc. In March, EC head Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a plan to raise €800 billion to expand military potential across the EU in response to what she described as 'a threat coming from Russia' – a claim rejected by Moscow. To raise the money, the Commission used Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which allows member states in emergencies to approve proposals from the executive branch in Brussels without going through the usual process. On Monday, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola sent a letter to von der Leyen, urging her to change the legal basis for the initiative, threatening to sue the EC if it fails to comply. The adoption of the Commission's plan without a proper legal basis would end up 'putting at risk democratic legitimacy by undermining Parliament's legislative and scrutiny functions,' the letter read. The EC 'will always be available to explain why Article 122 has been chosen as the appropriate legal basis,' its spokesman Thomas Regnier told Euronews. '[Western] Europe faces an unprecedented security threat. As stated by President von der Leyen in her Political Guidelines, Article 122 will only be used in exceptional circumstances, as the ones we are currently living in,' Regnier stated. The €150 billion loan program is seen by the Commission as a cornerstone of its 'Readiness 2030' proposal to invest over €800 billion into defense across the bloc by the end of the decade when – as Brussels claims – Russia would be in a position to attack an EU-member country. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly rejected allegations that Moscow harbors aggressive intentions toward EU countries, calling it 'nonsense' designed to alarm Western Europeans and legitimize major increases in defense budgets.
