Qatargate: Belgian judiciary issues arrest warrant for former EU Commissioner Avramopoulos
Belgium's federal judiciary issued an international arrest warrant for former EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos in connection with the Qatargate scandal, in what is being called the broadest corruption investigation ever to target EU institutions.
Belgium's federal judiciary issued an international arrest warrant on Monday for former EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. Investigating judges accuse him of receiving bribes from Qatar and Morocco during his 2014-2019 term in office.
The Qatargate scandal first surfaced in December 2022; since then two former MEPs have been convicted and nine other suspects remain under investigation. The new warrant is being read as the first time the case has reached the level of the EU Commission. The federal prosecutor's office said in a statement that « evidence includes international transfers and encrypted communications. »
Avramopoulos's lawyer Vassilis Mantziouras said in Athens that his client « categorically denies all allegations. » European Commission President Roberta Metsola said: « We fully support the independent investigation for the credibility of our institutions. » The European Parliament plans to vote on tightened ethics rules by the end of the month.
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