Belgian Public Prosecutor's Office investigates several MEPs and Huawei lobbyists in corruption case
Police carried out searches at 21 homes and offices in Belgium and Portugal in connection with this investigation, which focuses on events in 2021.
European flag and Huawei logo.
The Belgian Prosecutor's Office revealed on Thursday a large-scale anti-corruption operation, with 21 raids conducted at homes and offices in Belgium and Portugal. According to information advanced by the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, a hundred agents of the Belgian Judicial Police, under the orders of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, have in their sights on a group of current and former Members of the European Parliament, as well as lobbyists linked to the Chinese company Huawei.
According to the information, the investigation, named "Génération," has lasted several months. Multiple lobbyists working for the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei are suspected of bribing European lawmakers to influence conditions favorable to their client within the European Union.
Charges raised in this investigation include those of criminal organization, money laundering, forgery and corruption. According to Le Soir, the Police detained a number of lobbyists for questioning and to be brought before the investigating judge.
According to the prosecution, the acts of corruption were practiced on a regular basis "and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day, under the guise of commercial lobbying." In the raids, the agents "have seized several documents and objects, which will now be carefully analyzed."
Belgian media cite lobbyist Valerio Ottati as the main target of the investigation.
The investigation has its eye on gifts made to European lawmakers that come indirectly from the Chinese company, closely linked to the Beijing government. These include invitations to Huawei's private box at the Lotto Park soccer stadium, and Le Soir also mentions money transfers.
European Parliament rules oblige all MEPs to declare any donation or gift coming from a third party and exceeding €150 ($163.05).
As advanced by Le Soir, which has its own investigation into this corruption scheme, the transfers to one or more MEPs were made through a Portuguese company. For this reason, Portuguese police officers searched an address on Thursday morning.
Two years after Qatargate
In 2022, the European Parliament was rocked by a spectacular influence-peddling scandal for the benefit of Qatar and possibly Morocco, in a case that has since become known as "Qatargate."
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