https://sputnikglobe.com/20250106/pfizergate-what-is-ec-chief-von-der-leyen-accused-of-1121367442.html
Pfizergate: What is EC Chief Von Der Leyen Accused of?
Pfizergate: What is EC Chief Von Der Leyen Accused of?
Sputnik International
The New York Times earlier described the European Commission President’s COVID vaccine deal with the Pfizer CEO as "a striking alignment of political survival and corporate hustle."
2025-01-06T08:19+0000
2025-01-06T08:19+0000
2025-01-06T08:19+0000
world
belgium
european commission
ursula von der leyen
pfizer
coronavirus
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/06/1121366953_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_40d31a9d8ff6b5f76dc361fbefff8c56.jpg
A court in Liege, Belgium, is due to consider whether European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has legal immunity against corruption charges related to her murky involvement in the purchase of coronavirus vaccines. What is the scandal all about? Sputnik explores.Negotiations on the deal were conducted informally in late 2020 via SMS messages and without prior consent of EU member states.The European Commission President also texted her husband, Heiko von der Leyen, who serves as the medical director at Orgenesis, a company that collaborates with Pfizer. All the messages were then accidentally deleted, Ursula von der Leyen claimed.The first hearing on his complaint was held on 17 May 2024, when the Liege court confirmed that the so-called Pfizegate case is in line with its jurisdiction and should not be handed to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), created on the initiative of von der Leyen herself, due to an obvious conflict of interests.The second hearing slated for December 5 was actually disrupted due to a demarche by the EPPO, which sent a counter-request to the court for von der Leyen's immunity. The EPPO argues that von der Leyen has immunity from prosecution for corruption.European Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker said on January 5 that von der Leyen had canceled all "external engagements" in the coming days after contracting "severe pneumonia."
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230120/pfizer-ceo-grilled-on-ineffective-covid-19-vaccine-at-davos-summit-1106528666.html
belgium
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2025
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Oleg Burunov
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg
court in liege, pfizergate case against ursula von der leyen, von der leyen's murky involvement in the purchase of coronavirus vaccines, covid vaccine deal between pfizer ceo and european commission president
court in liege, pfizergate case against ursula von der leyen, von der leyen's murky involvement in the purchase of coronavirus vaccines, covid vaccine deal between pfizer ceo and european commission president
Pfizergate: What is EC Chief Von Der Leyen Accused of?
The New York Times described the European Commission President’s COVID vaccine deal with the Pfizer CEO as "a striking alignment of political survival and corporate hustle."
A court in Liege, Belgium, is due to consider whether European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen has legal immunity against corruption charges related to her murky involvement in the purchase of coronavirus vaccines. What is the scandal all about? Sputnik explores.
In 2022, US media reported that von der Leyen had communicated with Albert Bourla, chief executive of the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, about clinching a long-term contract to purchase 1.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines worth €35 billion ($37.6 billion), even before they passed clinical trials.
Negotiations on the deal were conducted informally in late 2020 via SMS messages and without prior consent of EU member states.
The European Commission President also texted her husband, Heiko von der Leyen, who serves as the medical director at Orgenesis, a company that collaborates with Pfizer. All the messages were then accidentally deleted, Ursula von der Leyen claimed.
As a result, she has been accused of “usurpation of functions and title,” destruction of public documents, and high-level corruption charges that were initiated by Belgian lobbyist Frederic Baldan.
The first hearing on his complaint was held on 17 May 2024, when the Liege court confirmed that the so-called Pfizegate case is in line with its jurisdiction and should not be handed to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), created on the initiative of von der Leyen herself, due to an obvious conflict of interests.
20 January 2023, 13:31 GMT
The second hearing slated for December 5 was actually disrupted due to a demarche by the EPPO, which sent a counter-request to the court for von der Leyen's immunity. The EPPO argues that von der Leyen has immunity from prosecution for corruption.
European Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker said on January 5 that von der Leyen had canceled all "external engagements" in the coming days after contracting "severe pneumonia."
