European Prosecutor's Office Probes Manfred Weber and EPP for Fraud and Corruption

A European prosecutor's office is investigating allegations of fraud and corruption linked to Manfred Weber's 2019 European Parliament election campaign, including the potential misuse of EU funds, as reported by Politico. Weber, a significant figure in Brussels politics and the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), is not currently named as a suspect in the inquiry.

The press office of Laura Kovesi confirmed the investigation's focus on possible misuse of EU funds in Belgium by members of a European Parliament political group. At this stage, no suspects have been identified. "Whenever we can say anything about any of our investigations, we will do it," stated the office.

According to Belgian police sources, three individuals are under investigation, including two senior figures associated with Weber's campaign. Investigators are examining whether these individuals received unlawful payments from both the EPP and the EPP Group, which represents the party in the European Parliament. The funding allocated for parliamentary groups, sourced from taxpayers, is not intended for political campaign expenditures.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is collaborating with Belgian law enforcement in this investigation. A police document indicates that witnesses have been interviewed regarding suspected offenses such as forgery, falsification of public documents by officials, breach of trust, and corruption.

The EPP group has stated they were unaware of the investigation, claiming, "We have not been approached by the EPP, the Belgian authorities, or any law enforcement agency for possible investigation of any kind." They emphasized their commitment to strict budgeting standards and cooperation with audits.

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