Chinese technology company Huawei is suspected of bribing former or current members of the European Parliament in Brussels.

Axar.az informs that Euronews reported this, citing Belgian publications Le Soir, Knack, and the investigative website Follow the Money.

According to the report, Belgian police searched Huawei's headquarters in Brussels and several homes across the country as part of a new investigation into corruption in the European Parliament. It was noted that lobbyists of the technology giant bribed members of parliament in order to influence decision-making in the European Union.

The names of about 15 current and former members of the European Parliament may be involved in this case. The investigation focuses on 41-year-old lobbyist Valerio Ottati, who has worked for Huawei since 2019.

According to Euronews, if the investigation involves current members of the European Parliament, the Belgian authorities may ask the parliament to lift their immunity.

The new scandal could be devastating for the European Parliament's reputation. This comes against the backdrop of stricter ethics and transparency rules introduced in the wake of the Qatar bribery scandal ("Qatargate"). MEPs involved in a corruption network in 2022 accepted cash, gifts, and services from Gulf countries in exchange for influencing European Union decisions.