Labour MEP Daniel Attard would not say if a Hungarian assistant had faced disciplinary action after inviting him to a football game held in Huawei’s VIP box, currently under Belgian bribery inquiry.
Attard said when questioned by reporters,
“I will simply present the facts to the relevant authorities; I am surely not acting as an investigator, prosecutor, or judge.”
The MEP said he had already asked to present his version of events and repeated his eagerness to work with authorities.
The case surfaced when Attard went to an Anderlecht football game, later shown to be hosted in Huawei’s box. He insists the invitation came from his assistant and claims he was unaware of the technology company’s engagement at the time.
Attard, who is sure his “innocence will be clearly shown,” has asked European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to remove his immunity.
Given that Huawei was on the EU’s Transparency Register at the time, he justified the nature of his work by saying that interacting with businesses, governments, and groups is “a normal part of an MEP’s job.”
Reports claiming that Belgian police obtained covert recordings from inside Huawei’s VIP suite spurred the inquiry on. Attard referred to the development as “excellent news” and noted that it would assist in clarifying the facts.
