Belgian authorities have conducted a series of raids across the country as part of an investigation into alleged corruption within the European Parliament. Prosecutors claim that the corruption was facilitated through commercial lobbying, with multiple individuals detained for questioning. The investigation has expanded to include an address in Portugal, where local police conducted a search related to the case. Le Soir, a Belgian newspaper, reported that the investigation is linked to Chinese tech giant Huawei and its activities in Brussels since 2021. The BBC reached out to Huawei for comment on the matter. According to the prosecutor’s office, corruption was allegedly practiced regularly and discreetly from 2021 to the present day, taking various forms such as compensation for political positions, excessive gifts, or invitations to football matches. Le Soir stated that several suspected lobbyists working for Huawei were detained over allegations of bribing current or former members of the European Parliament to promote the company’s trade policy. Notably, no MEPs were among those arrested on Thursday. A total of 21 raids were conducted in Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The investigation is focused on “active corruption within the European Parliament,” as well as “forgery and use of forged documents” within the framework of a criminal organization. Additionally, authorities are also investigating possible money laundering.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce98ydrpy7no