Ex-European Commission Vice President Federica Mogherini detained in Belgium: details of a high-profile scandal
2 December 22:50
Belgian federal police searched and detained three people in Brussels and Bruges, including one of the most famous faces of European diplomacy, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. This was reported by Euractiv, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The investigative actions are part of a large-scale investigation into possible abuses of European Union funds.
What happened: searches in Bruges and Brussels
On Tuesday, law enforcement officers conducted simultaneous searches in Bruges and Brussels. They concerned possible fraud related to the financing of European educational institutions.
Three people were detained after the searches:
- Federica Mogherini, head of the College of Europe since 2020 and former Vice President of the European Commission (2014-2019);
- Stefano Sannino, a high-ranking EU official, current Director General of the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Department of the European Commission;
- a fellow of the College of Europe, who works in the Department of Executive Education.
Sannino was formerly Secretary General of the European External Action Service when it was headed by Mogherini.
What is suspected: focus on the purchase of a building for €3.2 million
Investigators are looking into the circumstances of the College of Europe’s purchase of a building in Bruges in 2022. According to official information, the building was purchased for €3.2 million.
Among the key issues of the investigation is the possible access of the college’s management to confidential tender data, which should have been closed to ensure fair competition.
If the information was indeed obtained illegally, this may indicate a violation of the rules for the distribution of EU funding.
The College of Europe – what kind of institution is it?
The College of Europe was founded in 1949 and is considered the most prestigious educational institution in the European Union for training diplomats, civil servants and future high-ranking officials. Among its graduates are leading figures in politics and European institutions.
Mogherini has been the head of the institution since 2020, which makes her a person of interest in the investigation as the head of the organization involved in the procurement.
Who is Federica Mogherini?
Federica Mogherini is one of the most famous diplomats of the European Union.
She was Vice President of the European Commission in 2014-2019. Before that, she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy.
As of the time of publication, no official comments were received from Mogherini or her representatives.
