European judges are appealing the decision of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to investigate allegations related to the former President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, in connection with irregularities in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines. EPPO investigators have taken over the investigation from Belgian judges and are focusing on Michel’s involvement in general commercial activities, the dissemination of SMS messages, corruption, and abuse of power.

In 2023, the Belgian judiciary began investigating corruption and abuse of power allegations in Liege following a controversial request for COVID-19 vaccine supply from lobbyist Frederick Balda. The governments of Hungary and Poland have also joined the investigation, and the new European Prosecutor, Donald Tusk, has prioritized the case in the election process.

Bourla’s request for investigation involves the exchange of text messages between Charles Michel and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, known as “Pfizergate,” prior to major procurement transactions of the European Union. However, progress has been hindered so far due to a large number of classified documents.

The European Council is currently working to disclose the content of the text messages or verify their existence. The transaction, signed at the International Criminal Court (ICC) headquarters in 2021, was initially seen as a victory for Michel, but subsequent revelations of wrongdoing have led to the review of the agreement with Pfizer.

Some political figures have suggested discussing the case in the European Council to initiate an investigation. However, Michel has postponed any discussion until a thorough review has been conducted. Regarding the remaining text messages, Michel stated, “What needs to be said about them will be said. Let’s wait for the results.”

The European Union administration is facing pressure, with Hungary and Poland joining forces to demand clarification of Pfizer’s connections with the President of the European Council. The European Council representative has stated that reliable information on the investigation’s results has not yet been received, apart from several ambiguous articles.

It’s worth mentioning that this news article is also available in Russian.