The EU's former foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has been accused of fraud as part of an EU investigation into the misuse of funds, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has said.
The EPPO stated that searches were conducted on Tuesday at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, where Mogherini currently serves as president. Related searches took place at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, where she held the position of top diplomat from 2014 to 2019.
This investigation focuses on EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Along with Mogherini, a senior staff member from the College of Europe and an official from the European Commission have also been detained. According to the EPPO, the trio has been formally notified of allegations related to procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy.
All three were released after questioning as they were not deemed a flight risk, although their homes were searched. Under Belgian law, individuals can be arrested without being charged while maintaining their status as suspects.
The EPPO explained that the investigation is centered on a tender that the EEAS awarded to the College of Europe for training courses in 2021-2022, citing 'strong suspicions' of favoritism linked to this tender.
The EPPO, responsible for investigating fraud against EU financial interests, did not reveal the names of those held but indicated that immunity for several suspects was lifted during this investigation. The College of Europe is a prestigious institution that trains future EU civil servants and receives partial funding from the EU.
The EPPO stated that searches were conducted on Tuesday at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, where Mogherini currently serves as president. Related searches took place at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, where she held the position of top diplomat from 2014 to 2019.
This investigation focuses on EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Along with Mogherini, a senior staff member from the College of Europe and an official from the European Commission have also been detained. According to the EPPO, the trio has been formally notified of allegations related to procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy.
All three were released after questioning as they were not deemed a flight risk, although their homes were searched. Under Belgian law, individuals can be arrested without being charged while maintaining their status as suspects.
The EPPO explained that the investigation is centered on a tender that the EEAS awarded to the College of Europe for training courses in 2021-2022, citing 'strong suspicions' of favoritism linked to this tender.
The EPPO, responsible for investigating fraud against EU financial interests, did not reveal the names of those held but indicated that immunity for several suspects was lifted during this investigation. The College of Europe is a prestigious institution that trains future EU civil servants and receives partial funding from the EU.
