European Parliament mires in corruption and fraud

European prosecutors are actively investigating allegations of fraud and corruption related to the manipulation of European Union funds during Manfred Weber's election campaign. Weber is a prominent figure in European politics and the leader of the European People's Party (EPP).

The European Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) initiated this investigation to identify the misuse of EU funds. Information about the investigation was provided by two representatives of the Belgian police and the prosecutor.

According to available documents, Belgian police are focusing on three individuals, including two high-profile officials linked to Weber's 2019 campaign. The main objective is to determine whether these individuals received illegal payments from the EPP, as taxpayer money allocated to parliamentary groups cannot be used for political campaigns.

The EPPO is working in cooperation with Belgian law enforcement agencies. Their documents indicate that witnesses will be called to discuss criminal charges, including forgery, corruption, and fraud.

The EPP group stated that it was unaware of the investigation: "We have not received any requests from the EPPO, Belgian authorities, or other law enforcement agencies regarding this matter. Our party adheres to strict financial standards and is subject to regular inspections to ensure compliance."

In recent weeks, the Belgian anti-corruption directorate has interrogated witnesses who worked on Weber's team during the 2019 European Parliament elections. They sought to determine whether these individuals received any money related to the party's activities during the campaign.

Documents indicate that two of Weber's assistants left their positions in the European Parliament in early 2019 to take on roles within the party. The third participant remained with the party both before and after the campaign.

One representative of the group stated that they were not aware of the ongoing investigation and confirmed that the assistants did indeed leave their posts in the European Parliament during the campaign, providing documentation to support this.

Weber himself has acknowledged receiving additional payments for his dual roles. In addition to his salary of approximately 8,000 euros per month as an MEP, he earns 14,120 euros as president of the EPP, which has sparked debate within his political party.

At present, no formal charges have been filed against any individuals.

The EPPO is responsible for investigating serious crimes related to EU financial interests and actively cooperates with national law enforcement agencies.

An EPPO representative stated, "We are investigating suspicions of misuse of EU funds by members of one of the political groups in the European Parliament. Currently, we are focused solely on the factual circumstances."

A previous investigation conducted by Belgian and German law enforcement agencies resulted in a search of the EPP's Brussels office due to suspected corruption related to contracts for the 2019 elections. The party has rejected these accusations as "baseless."

These events unfold amid internal opposition to Weber, who is seeking to reform the party and modernize its structure, including appointing a new general secretary.