Fl-aħħar jiem ġejt infurmat mill-amministrazzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew li ismi ssemma f’investigazzjoni u li saret talba mill-Awtoritajiet Belġjani biex titneħħa l-immunità Parlamentari tiegħi. Din it-talba saret b’rabta mal-preżenza tiegħi waqt logħba football bejn Anderlecht u Ferencváros f’Settembru li għadda.

Din l-istedina waslitli permezz tal-Assistent Parlamentari tiegħi ta’ nazzjonalità Ungeriża, li kien staqsieni jekk nixtieqx nakkumpanja lilu u lil ibnu f’dik li kellha tkun okkażjoni privata u informali biex naraw tim Ungeriż jilgħab fil-Belġju.

Meta rċevejt l-istedina ma ntqalx lili li kienet qed toriġina minn xi kumpanija. Wisq anqas kont mgħarraf li kienet f’box tal-istess kumpanija. Fil-fatt, l-Assistent Parlamentari qalli li ħabib tiegħu kellu biljetti għal din il-logħba u staqsieni jekk nixtieqx nakkumpanja lilu u lil ibnu.

Jirriżulta li l-istedina ġiet minn persuna li kienet qed tiġi investigata mill-awtoritajiet Belġjani u li kellha l-intenzjoni li waqt il-logħba tkellimni dwar Huawei. Qabel il-logħba jien ma kelli ebda ħjiel dwar dan u wisq anqas kelli komunikat ma’ din il-persuna.

Matul il-logħba tqajjem is-suġġett, u ntlabt laqgħa li saret ġimgħatejn wara fi Strasburgu. Qabel din il-laqgha tlabt lill-Assistenti tiegħi jaċċertaw li kollox isir b’mod trasparenti u skont ir-regoli tal-Parlament Ewropew, u kien biss wara li ġejt aċċertat b’dan li aċċettajt li ssir.

Wara din il-laqgħa ma kellix aktar komunikat mal-kumpanija msemmija u ma ħadt l-ebda azzjoni fir-rigward ta’ Huawei jew temi relatati mal-kumpanija.

Wara l-logħba li attendejt għaliha, tlabt lill-Assistent Parlamentari konċernat biex jiddetermina l-valur tal-biljett tal-logħba u biex jiddikjarah skont ir-regoli tal-Parlament Ewropew. Huwa infurmami u assigurani li l-valur ma kienx jaqbeż €150, li huwa l-limitu stabbilit mir-regoli tal-Parlament Ewropew, u għaldaqstant ma kienx hemm bżonn dikjarazzjoni.

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu:

1. Għamilt talba formali biex nidher quddiem l-awtoritajiet kkonċernati sabiex nagħti stqarrija u rendikont tal-fatti f’kuntest ta’ koperazzjoni u trasparenza sħiħa min-naħa tiegħi.
2. Ktibt lill-President tal-Parlament Ewropew fejn jien stess tlabt biex l-immunità parlamentari li ngawdi minnha titneħħa mill-iktar fis, sabiex l-awtoritajiet ikunu jistgħu jistaqsu u jivverifikaw dak kollu li jkun meħtieġ mingħajr ebda impediment.
3. Se nkun qed nitkellem mat-tmexxija tal-Grupp tal-S&D dwar kull pass meħtieġ sakemm dan il-proċess, li jien m’għandi ebda involviment fih, jintemm.

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Press Release

In recent days, I was informed by the administration of the European Parliament that my name was mentioned in an investigation and that a request has been made by the Belgian authorities for the lifting of my Parliamentary immunity. This request is in connection with my presence at a football match between Anderlecht and Ferencváros last September.

The invitation to attend this match came through my Hungarian Parliamentary Assistant, who asked whether I would like to join him and his son at what was meant to be a private and informal event to watch a Hungarian team play in Belgium.

I was not made aware that the invitation originated from any company, or that it involved a corporate box. I was simply informed by my assistant that a friend of his had tickets to the match and asked whether I would be interested in accompanying him and his son.

It has since emerged that the invitation came from a person who is currently under investigation by the Belgian authorities and who intended to speak to me about Huawei during the match. I had no prior knowledge of this, nor had I had any prior contact with that individual.

The topic was briefly raised during the game, and a meeting was subsequently requested, which took place two weeks later in Strasbourg. Before this meeting, I instructed my Assistants to ensure that all arrangements were fully transparent and in line with the rules of the European Parliament. I only agreed to the meeting once I received confirmation that this was the case.

Following that meeting, I had no further communication and took no action whatsoever in relation to Huawei or any matters related to the company.

After attending the match, I asked the Assistant involved to determine the value of the ticket and to declare it in accordance with the rules of the European Parliament. He informed and assured me that the value did not exceed €150 — the threshold set by the Parliament’s rules — and therefore, no declaration was required.

In light of all this:

1. I have formally requested to be heard by the relevant authorities to provide a full statement and account of events in a spirit of full cooperation and transparency.
2. I have written to the President of the European Parliament to personally request the immediate waiver of my Parliamentary immunity so that the authorities may ask any necessary questions and carry out any verifications without impediment.
3. I will be consulting with the leadership of the S&D Group regarding any steps that may be required until this process, in which I have no involvement, is concluded.