The European Parliament has, as soon as once more, discovered itself on the coronary heart of a corruption scandal, this time involving the Chinese language tech large Huawei. Police raids have been carried out throughout Belgium and Portugal amid suspicions of bribery, forgery, cash laundering, and arranged felony exercise.
The European Parliament’s newest corruption scandal unfolds even because the earlier one—the so-called ‘Qatargate’ affair—stays below investigation and litigation, additional deepening preexisting considerations about international affect in EU establishments.
The Qatargate scandal, which surfaced greater than two years in the past, includes allegations that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), lobbyists, and their households accepted substantial sums of cash and lavish items from Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania in trade for constructive publicity and shaping laws in its favor.
The Qatargate allegations prominently contain socialist lawmakers, with Greek European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili being probably the most notable determine implicated.
The primary police raids linked to this newest corruption scandal came about two weeks in the past at Huawei’s EU workplaces in Brussels, in addition to on the houses of Huawei lobbyists throughout Belgium and Portugal. These raids adopted a two-year investigation initiated by a tip from Belgian intelligence.
Former Dutch MEP Rob Roos responded cynically to the information on X, writing: “One other corruption scandal within the European Parliament—simply one other day in politics. unwell this be one other #Qatargate (a socialist job by the Socialists & Democrats Group!!), brushed apart to guard the elites, or will somebody lastly be held accountable?
One other corruption scandal within the European Parliament—simply one other day in politics.
Will this be one other #Qatargate (a socialist job by the @TheProgressives!!), brushed apart to guard the elites, or will somebody lastly be held accountable?#Huaweihttps://t.co/n1uAjjows0 pic.twitter.com/XxVSoI5pTS
— Rob Roos (@Rob_Roos) March 13, 2025
Among the many key figures implicated is Valerio Otati, a 42-year-old Belgian-Italian lobbyist who joined Huawei in 2019 as its EU Public Affairs Director after serving as an assistant to 2 Italian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) centered on China coverage.
A second spherical of sweeps came about final week in Belgium and Portugal. Some focused workplaces within the European Parliament. 4 people had been charged with corruption and involvement in a felony group in reference to an alleged cash-for-influence scheme orchestrated by Chinese language tech large Huawei.
“One other corruption scandal within the European Parliament!15 former and present MPs below investigation. This morning, after searches, the primary suspects had been arrested!” wrote Polish MEP Dominik Tarczyński.
KOLEJNY skandal korupcyjny w Parlamencie Europejskim!
15 byłych i obecnych posłów objętych śledztwem. Dziś rano po przeszukaniach rano aresztowano pierwszych podejrzanych!https://t.co/r3wULTnJzF
— Dominik Tarczyński MEP (@D_Tarczynski) March 13, 2025
The investigation facilities on allegations of bribery, forgery, cash laundering, and felony group, highlighting the rising considerations over Beijing’s affect in Europe. Belgium’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Workplace confirmed that the corruption took a number of varieties, together with monetary incentives for political help, extreme items reminiscent of journey perks and soccer tickets, and hid lobbying actions benefiting Huawei.
Authorities have questioned a number of people, with studies of 5 arrests in Belgium, no less than one in France, and one other in Italy.
On Thursday, March 20, Italian police arrested Lucia Simeone, a parliamentary assistant to Fulvio Martusciello, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the globalist European Individuals’s Get together (EPP).
Chinese language tech large Huawei is suspected of bribing no less than 15 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to sway key legislative selections in favor of its industrial pursuits throughout the European Union. The MEPs concerned are globalists from numerous political factions—leftists, liberals, and ‘center-right’ lawmakers.
Huawei has been a contentious presence in Europe for years, with its ties to the Chinese language Communist Get together (CCP) and involvement in essential infrastructure tasks elevating important considerations. The US has lengthy warned of safety dangers related to Huawei, banning the corporate from promoting sure communications gear and including it to a Pentagon record of 20 corporations allegedly managed by the CCP’s navy wing.
Regardless of these considerations, European leaders have taken various stances. French President Emmanuel Macron beforehand downplayed fears about Huawei, stating in 2019 that he didn’t want to stigmatize any specific firm or nation. That very same yr, Huawei started building of its first European manufacturing facility in France, close to the European Parliament headquarters in Strasbourg.
Equally, former EU Commerce Commissioner Phil Hogan dismissed US considerations over Huawei’s 5G growth, additional demonstrating the corporate’s deep political ties in Europe.
The Huawei bribery case starkly highlights the vulnerability of Europe’s corrupt establishments to international interference.
Huawei, for its half, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that it has a “zero-tolerance coverage towards corruption” and can totally cooperate with authorities. Nevertheless, given the corporate’s previous controversies, together with its involvement in a controversial surveillance challenge in Malta, skepticism stays excessive.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola—a well known globalist—has sought to downplay accusations that the establishment is compromised.
“The one factor I cannot do is enable the allegations or the alleged work of doubtless a number of people, to tarnish the work of a whole lot of others,” she said in an try to save lots of face.
