EU Commission officials confirmed on Tuesday (23 June) that an ethics panel had approved a request by the former migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos to take a paid role with the NGO at the centre of the Qatargate corruption scandal.
The Greek politician served in the commission of Jean-Claude Juncker between 2014 and 2019.
On Monday, the Belgian judiciary confirmed that it had issued an arrest warrant for Avramopoulos and would request that the former commissioner’s immunity from prosecution to be waived as part of its investigation into Qatargate.
A commission spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday (23 June) that the EU executive had “approved post-mandate activity” to allow Avramopoulos to take on a paid post-term appointment as a member of the ‘Honorary Board’ of Fight Impunity, following a positive opinion on the appointment from the Independent Ethical Committee of the commission in December 2020.
“We have not received any request to lift his immunity…nor have we have received any request for him for an act of legal assistance,” added the commission spokesperson.
