The European Commission said Thursday that its review of former European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos was limited to verifying whether he complied with conditions attached to his approved role at the NGO Fight Impunity and did not examine the organization’s activities or allegations tied to the Qatargate corruption scandal.
A Commission spokesperson said the institution carried out “internal checks,” not an “internal investigation,” after questions emerged over Avramopoulos’ post-mandate involvement with Fight Impunity, a human rights NGO founded by former Italian lawmaker Antonio Panzeri, a central figure in the Qatargate case.
The checks, conducted in late 2022, assessed only whether Avramopoulos respected restrictions imposed when the Commission approved his participation in the organization in 2021.
The spokesperson said there was no indication those conditions had been breached.
The Commission stressed that investigating Fight Impunity or alleged criminal conduct falls under the jurisdiction of Belgian authorities, which are continuing their probe into Qatargate.
