Belgian authorities have issued a European Arrest Warrant for former European Commissioner and current Member of Parliament, Dimitris Avramopoulos, as part of the ongoing investigation into the Qatargate scandal.
According to sources, the former commissioner faces charges of participation in a criminal organization, with authorities linking the case to an alleged financial benefit of approximately €73,000 ($83,700). Reports suggest that Avramopoulos had been summoned to testify before Belgian authorities about a year ago but failed to appear. This non-appearance reportedly aggravated the situation, ultimately leading to the issuance of the warrant.
At the heart of the investigation is his collaboration with a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Member of the European Parliament and central figure in the Qatargate case. According to the same sources, after stepping down from his role as European Commissioner, Avramopoulos provided services to this specific NGO, receiving a monthly stipend of €5,000 (about $5,700). The total sum of these payments is allegedly forming the basis of the financial benefit currently being scrutinized by investigative authorities.
In a statement released by Avramopoulos himself, he notes that his participation in the organization Fight Impunity was “completely legal, audited, approved, declared, and taxed.”
“The issue that some have attempted to link to my name was closed three years ago, with full institutional transparency and the endorsement of the European Commission, following a decision signed by its President, Ursula von der Leyen,” the MP emphasized.
“Any attempt by Belgian authorities to resurrect the matter and implicate my name in any issue concerning Fight Impunity—whether through baseless claims or the distortion of facts—is arbitrary, unacceptable, and suspicious, and will be met with every legal means available,” Avramopoulos declared, stressing that he does not intend to invoke his parliamentary immunity.
Qatargate is one of the largest corruption scandals ever to hit the European Union. It erupted in December 2022, when Belgian police launched a series of raids in Brussels, seizing over €1.5 million ($1.7 million) in cash and arresting several high-profile EU politicians and officials. Among those arrested was Greek MEP Eva Kaili.
The scandal involves allegations that the governments of Qatar (and later, Morocco and Mauritania) paid massive bribes—in the form of cash, luxury gifts, and paid vacations—to European Parliament members, staffers, and NGO heads. In exchange, these officials were expected to influence EU policy, soften criticism of Qatar’s human rights record, especially regarding migrant workers ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and secure visa-free travel perks for Qatari citizens.
Pier Antonio Panzeri is a former Italian MEP, who is considered the alleged mastermind or “ringleader” of the network. He founded a Brussels-based NGO called Fight Impunity, which claimed to promote human rights and international justice. In reality, prosecutors allege that Fight Impunity was a front organization used to launder and funnel bribery money from foreign governments to European politicians.
Panzeri eventually signed a “repentant plea deal” with Belgian prosecutors, agreeing to share all details and names in exchange for a reduced sentence. Dimitris Avramopoulos, who served as the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs, and Citizenship from 2014 to 2019, was named as an honorary board member of Panzeri’s Fight Impunity NGO.
Related: Qatargate: Eva Kaili Released from Prison, Placed Under House Arrest
