Meetings Between MEPs and a Chinese Tech Giant Raise the Spectre of Corruption

This is a follow-up to the last post I shared, detailing yet more evidence of corruption in the European Parliament. It is corrupt, and the Commission is power hungry. Not a good combination.

From The European Conservative

By Tamás Orbán & Javier Villamor

More than two dozen Brussels-led dangerous liaisons with Huawei took place between 2020 and 2023—mainly related to AI legislation, digital services, and green policies.

Alleged corruption in the European Parliament (EP) linked to China’s technology multinational Huawei has reignited doubts about the transparency and integrity of European Union institutions. With the unresolved Qatargate scandal fresh in the memory, this new case—already dubbed “Qatargate 2.0”—once again highlights the close relationship between certain MEPs and large corporations. If accurate, a recent report published by several Belgian media outlets spells out the challenge of preventing EU-wide graft.

On Thursday, March 13th, authorities sealed the office of an assistant to Bulgarian MEP Nikola Minchev in Strasbourg. According to the Bulgarian news outlet 24 Chasa, Minchev confirmed the news and announced the termination of his assistant’s contract. That same day, more than 100 officers participated in operations in Portugal and Belgium, resulting in the arrest of 21 people whose identities have not yet been revealed.

Now an investigation conducted by europeanconservative.com can reveal that at least 25 meetings took place between European parliamentarians and Huawei representatives from 2020 to 2023. These meetings covered various topics, from digital legislation to technological inclusion projects. However, the lack of transparency surrounding them raises questions about their true purpose and the potential favoring of the Chinese multinational’s interests.

From November 2020 to November 2023, meetings between MEPs from different political groups and Huawei were recorded.

For a list of MEPs’ meetings with Huawei, CLICK HERE

Alleged corruption within European institutions when dealing with Chinese conglomerates is not an isolated phenomenon. Even while the Qatargate case—which shook the Parliament with revelations of bribes and opaque dealings—is being slowly memory-holed, issues such as Ursula von der Leyen’s indictment after deleting her messages with the CEO of Pfizer regarding a multimillion-euro vaccine contract have been silenced. Likewise the case of Roberta Metsola’s husband and his links to Royal Caribbean.

It is telling that the presidents of the European Commission and the EP have been involved in scandals of this nature, while the President of the Council, the Portuguese socialist António Costa, is also under investigation for alleged corruption in his country. In short, if the EU’s top leadership is compromised, it is no surprise that similar scandals involving lesser-known figures continue to emerge. Transparency and accountability become empty words when the leaders fail to set an example.

This publication is contacting the MEPs mentioned in this investigation to obtain their statements and clarifications regarding their meetings with Huawei. So far, there have been no conclusive responses.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has indicated that the investigation focuses on an alleged corruption scheme concealed since 2021. But the key question remains: Have these meetings influenced decision-making within the European Parliament?