Avramopoulos Faces Parliamentary Immunity Vote Over Qatargate Probe, Says He Will Cooperate

A new chapter is unfolding in the Qatargate investigation as the Greek Parliament is expected to examine a request to lift the parliamentary immunity of former European Commissioner and current MP Dimitris Avramopoulos following the issuance of a European Arrest Warrant by Belgian authorities.

According to reports, the relevant case file has already been forwarded by Greece’s Supreme Court to the Ministry of Justice and is expected to reach Parliament in the coming days. Lawmakers will then be asked to decide whether to allow the legal process linked to the Belgian warrant to proceed.

The development places Avramopoulos at the center of one of the most high-profile corruption investigations to emerge within European institutions in recent years.

Allegations Under Investigation

According to the information available, the Belgian warrant relates to allegations involving participation in a criminal organization and money laundering.

The investigation forms part of the broader Qatargate inquiry, which has been ongoing since 2022 and focuses on alleged influence operations and illicit financial activities linked to foreign interests within European institutions.

Sources indicate that Belgian authorities had previously invited Avramopoulos on two separate occasions to provide explanations as part of the investigation, but he did not appear before investigators.

What Happens Next

Under Greek law, parliamentary immunity must first be lifted before any further judicial steps can be taken.

If Parliament approves the request, the case will return to the Athens Court of Appeals Prosecutor’s Office, which will formally ask Avramopoulos whether he consents to being surrendered to Belgian authorities.

Should he agree, the procedure would be validated by the presiding appeals judge. If he refuses, the final decision would be made by the competent judicial body, namely the Athens Appeals Court Council.

Avramopoulos Says He Will Consent

Dimitris Avramopoulos has already signaled that he intends to cooperate with the process.

According to sources close to the former commissioner, he is prepared to consent to the lifting of his parliamentary immunity and appear before the appropriate judicial authorities to provide explanations.

Avramopoulos strongly rejects any connection to the Qatargate scandal, describing attempts to implicate him as arbitrary, unjustified and suspicious.

His associates insist that he welcomes a full investigation and believes the judicial process will ultimately confirm that he had no involvement in any illegal activity.

The Fight Impunity Connection

At the center of the investigation is Avramopoulos’ role as an honorary board member of the non-governmental organization Fight Impunity.

The NGO came under scrutiny during the Qatargate investigation and was linked to several individuals who later faced criminal charges.

Among them are former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, regarded by investigators as a key figure in the scandal, former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili and Francesco Giorgi.

According to Avramopoulos, he received a total of €75,000 for his participation in the organization. He maintains that the payments were legally declared, included in his asset declarations and fully taxed under Greek law.

Political and Legal Implications

The case is expected to trigger political debate in Greece, given Avramopoulos’ long and prominent public career as former Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, European Commissioner and Mayor of Athens.

Attention is now turning to Parliament’s decision and to the next steps that may be taken by both Greek and Belgian judicial authorities.

With Avramopoulos publicly stating that he will not oppose the lifting of his immunity, the investigation appears set to move into a new phase as Belgian prosecutors continue examining one of the most significant corruption scandals ever to affect the European Union’s institutions.

Source: pagenews.gr