Overview

• Eduard Lintner, a former CSU Bundestag member, admitted the factual accuracy of the indictment in the Munich trial but rejected the characterization of his actions as bribery.
• The trial centers on allegations that Azerbaijan used bribery to influence decisions within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
• Lintner is accused of receiving millions through offshore companies and redistributing funds to sway parliamentary decisions in Azerbaijan's favor.
• Co-defendant Axel Fischer, a former CDU MP, is also charged with accepting bribes to deliver favorable speeches and share confidential documents for Azerbaijan.
• The case marks Germany's first prosecution of ex-Bundestag members for foreign bribery, highlighting challenges in uncovering covert international corruption.