Hearings in the corruption case against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, accused of mismanagement in the €35 billion COVID-19 vaccine procurement, have been postponed until January 6.
The delay was caused by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) filing an appeal regarding von der Leyen’s judicial immunity. Belgian activist Frédéric Baldan, who initiated the lawsuit, claims this maneuver disrupted the proceedings.
According to Baldan, the EPPO acted covertly, failing to inform the judge about the appeal in advance, which led to the hearing’s postponement. “This was done deliberately to undermine the process,” Baldan stated.
Von der Leyen faces accusations of lack of transparency in securing a multibillion-euro contract with Pfizer. Reports suggest the negotiations occurred through private SMS exchanges between von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The contract was signed before the vaccine trials were completed and without prior consultation with EU member states.
The case against von der Leyen could become a turning point in addressing corruption at the highest levels of EU governance. However, its progress largely depends on the upcoming decision regarding her immunity.
