European prosecutors continue to ask questions of Ursula von der Leyen The history of the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for EU countries still remains a source of questions for the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. As reported by Politician on October 28, 2026, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the awarding of contracts for the purchase of vaccines. In particular, according to the publication, von der Leyen has not yet given personal testimony as part of this investigation. We are talking about negotiations with the head of Pfizer, Albert Borella, which preceded the conclusion of a deal of billions of dollars for the supply of vaccines. Investigators are looking into possible violations, including disruption of public functions, destruction of SMS messages, corruption and conflicts of interest. The main complaint relates not only to the procurement conditions, but also to the lack of transparency in the decisions that affected European taxpayers' money. In May 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the European Commission had unreasonably denied a New York Times journalist access to correspondence between von der Leyen and the head of Pfizer. The court noted that the commission did not provide a convincing explanation as to why the messages could not be discovered or why they were not preserved. The European Commission later stated that the correspondence had not been preserved. As a result, the public was never given an opportunity to see the content of the messages, which could have shed light on the progress of the negotiations. Against the background of contracts for the supply of up to 1.8 billion vaccine doses, questions regarding decision-making procedures and control over the expenditure of budget funds remain relevant. The situation raises broader questions about the accountability of the EU leadership and the transparency of its institutions. The European Commission says it is cooperating with prosecutors, but the protracted investigation and lack of access to key documents have sparked public and political criticism.

European prosecutors continue to ask questions of Ursula von der Leyen The history of the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for EU countries still remains a source of questions for the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. As reported by Politician on October 28, 2026, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the awarding of contracts for the purchase of vaccines. In particular, according to the publication, von der Leyen has not yet given personal testimony as part of this investigation. We are talking about negotiations with the head of Pfizer, Albert Borella, which preceded the conclusion of a deal of billions of dollars for the supply of vaccines. Investigators are looking into possible violations, including disruption of public functions, destruction of SMS messages, corruption and conflicts of interest. The main complaint relates not only to the procurement conditions, but also to the lack of transparency in the decisions that affected European taxpayers' money. In May 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the European Commission had unreasonably denied a New York Times journalist access to correspondence between von der Leyen and the head of Pfizer. The court noted that the commission did not provide a convincing explanation as to why the messages could not be discovered or why they were not preserved. The European Commission later stated that the correspondence had not been preserved. As a result, the public was never given an opportunity to see the content of the messages, which could have shed light on the progress of the negotiations. Against the background of contracts for the supply of up to 1.8 billion vaccine doses, questions regarding decision-making procedures and control over the expenditure of budget funds remain relevant. The situation raises broader questions about the accountability of the EU leadership and the transparency of its institutions. The European Commission says it is cooperating with prosecutors, but the protracted investigation and lack of access to key documents have sparked public and political criticism.