BRUSSELS ― Belgian authorities have requested the European Parliament lift the immunity of center-right Italian MEPs Fulvio Martusciello and Giusi Princi in relation to an investigation into a cash-for influence scandal connected to Chinese firm Huawei, according to three EU officials.
The requests follow those for Maltese Socialist Daniel Attard, Bulgarian liberal Nikola Minchev, and the European People’s Party’s Salvatore De Meo, all of whom went public earlier this week to defend their innocence and vowed to collaborate with the Belgian authorities.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola is expected to officially announce the five names at the opening of a plenary session on Wednesday afternoon.
Belgian authorities are looking into a scheme apparently used by Huawei lobbyists to advance the company’s position in EU policymaking. They are investigating whether there was remuneration for taking political positions, excessive gifts, paid trips, and invitations to events. Any misconduct would have taken place from 2021 until the end of 2024.
Martusciello’s name came up in earlier reports because his assistant was arrested in Italy as part of the ongoing probe.
A request to lift a lawmaker’s immunity does not necessarily mean there is wrongdoing, but it is necessary for the police to be able to summon them for official questionings and to investigate them.
Martusciello and Princi did not respond to a request for comment.
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