Belgian police have conducted raids at multiple locations across the country as part of an investigation into alleged corruption within the European Parliament. Prosecutors have stated that the corruption was carried out “under the guise of commercial lobbying,” with several individuals detained for questioning.
In addition to the raids in Belgium, local police in Portugal also searched an address, while a person was arrested in France. According to Belgian newspaper, the investigation is connected to Chinese tech company Huawei and its activities in Brussels since 2021.
The prosecutor’s office explained that corruption allegedly took place regularly and discreetly from 2021 onwards, taking forms such as offering compensation for political positions, excessive gifts like food and travel expenses, or frequent invitations to football matches.
The newspaper reported that several people suspected of working as lobbyists for Huawei were detained, accused of bribing current or former members of the European Parliament to promote the company’s trade policy. Belgian authorities sealed two offices inside the European Parliament as part of the investigation.
The prosecutor’s office clarified that no members of the European Parliament were directly targeted by the raids, which included 21 locations in Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The investigation is focused on active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as forgery, the use of forged documents, and potential money laundering, all within the scope of a “criminal organization.”
