Ex-top EU diplomat Federica Mogherini charged in ‘fraud and corruption’ probe
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Former European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has been charged after a probe into contracts to train future European diplomats.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- Federica Mogherini, Stefano Sannino, and a College of Europe staff member were detained and questioned in a probe into EU-funded training fraud.
- The EPPO investigation concerns suspected "procurement fraud and corruption" related to the European Union Diplomatic Academy, worth €650,000.
- All three individuals were released, deemed not a flight risk, and the EU officials express shock and pledge full cooperation with the investigation.
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BRUSSELS – The European Union’s former foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has been charged along with two others in a probe into “fraud and corruption” over contracts to train future European diplomats, prosecutors said on Dec 3.
Mogherini, who was high representative for foreign affairs from 2014 to 2019 and now leads the College of Europe graduate school, was arrested on Dec 2
The 52-year-old Italian was detained along with the school’s deputy rector as well as senior EU official Stefano Sannino, who was secretary-general of the EEAS from 2021 to 2024.
After being questioned by Belgian police, “the three individuals were formally notified of the accusations against them”, said the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which is overseeing the probe.
“The accusations concern procurement fraud and corruption, conflict of interest and violation of professional secrecy,” it added in a statement.
Not considered a flight risk, all three were released from custody overnight, a spokesperson for the prosecutors’ office told AFP.
The EPPO is investigating suspicions of fraud related to an EU-funded training scheme for junior diplomats, known as the European Union Diplomatic Academy.
The programme was awarded by the EEAS to the College of Europe in Belgium in the period 2021 to 2022, and the probe focuses on whether the tender process was skewed to favour the school.
Mogherini has headed the College of Europe since 2020, and in 2022 also took the helm of the EU Diplomatic Academy.
The contract involved was worth some €650,000 (S$982,000), according to a European source.
‘Deeply shocking’
Carried out by Belgian federal police at the EPPO’s request, the Dec 2 searches targeted the College of Europe campus in the Belgian city of Bruges, the Brussels premises of the EEAS and the houses of suspects.
The European Commission has confirmed raids at the EEAS, saying the probe focused on “activities that took place before in the previous mandate”.
Senior EU official Stefano Sannino was also arrested on Dec 2.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The current EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Ms Kaja Kallas, took over the post a year ago from Mogherini’s successor, Mr Josep Borrell.
Ms Kallas in a letter to EEAS staff said the allegations were “deeply shocking, but should in no way tarnish the good work that the vast majority of you are doing every day”.
“We are fully cooperating with the investigation and providing complete transparency,” she wrote.
The College of Europe has vowed to “fully cooperate” with the probe, stressing its commitment “to the highest standards of integrity, fairness and compliance – both in academic and administrative matters”.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the EU, responsible for investigating crimes against the bloc’s financial interests.
The probe, which is being led by a judge in western Belgium, is also supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office, to which the accusations were first reported. AFP
