BRUSSELS — Ursula von der Leyen is separating herself from the corruption allegations engulfing the EU’s diplomatic service, with staffers saying it’s a non-issue for the Fee chief.
After Belgian authorities performed daybreak raids on Tuesday and detained the EU’s former high diplomat Federica Mogherini and ex-European Exterior Motion Service Secretary-Basic Stefano Sannino, Fee officers dismissed it as an EEAS downside — noting that whereas Sannino took on a high job on the Fee earlier this 12 months, the probe dates again to his earlier function.
“It’s not the Fee distancing itself, it’s a distinct establishment that’s being investigated,” an EU official mentioned.
Helpfully for von der Leyen, Sannino fell on his sword Wednesday, with the Fee asserting he was gone from the helm of its Center East, North Africa and the Gulf division (DG MENA).
Three Fee officers forcefully argued the investigation launched Tuesday — into allegations the EEAS fraudulently awarded a young to run a coaching academy for future EU diplomats to the Faculty of Europe in Bruges — had nothing to do with von der Leyen, given the diplomatic service is a separate establishment from the Fee.
An EU official characterised assaults on the Fee chief as unfair and unwise, coming at a delicate time when von der Leyen is making an attempt to shore up help for Ukraine forward of a crunch December summit of EU leaders.
The occasions happen towards the backdrop of tensions between von der Leyen and the present boss of the EEAS, Kaja Kallas.
Kallas, who was not in workplace on the time of the alleged corruption, has additionally sought to distance herself from the probe. On Wednesday, the previous Estonian prime minister sought to drive residence the concept that she had been working to wash up the EEAS since her appointment because the EU’s excessive consultant in December 2024.
In a letter to EEAS workers seen by POLITICO, the highest EU diplomat wrote that she discovered the allegations towards Mogherini and Sannino “deeply stunning,” however that these had predated her time on the EEAS. Within the months since then, her group had launched inside reforms together with organising an “Anti-Fraud Technique” and constructing stronger cooperation with the EU’s anti-fraud company, OLAF, and the EPPO, she mentioned.
However at concern is who knew what in relation to the claims towards Sannino.
In keeping with 4 EEAS staff, talking to POLITICO in interviews previous to Tuesday’s raids, wider questions have been raised about the way in which Sannino dealt with appointments for coveted diplomatic posts throughout his time on the service, together with allegations that he had awarded them to favorites.
Officers from OLAF visited the secretary-general’s workplaces previous to his departure from the EEAS, in keeping with two individuals acquainted with the matter.
However an EU official mentioned the Fee was not conscious of prior complaints about Sannino when he was employed to be the top of a brand new division masking the Center East and North Africa.
In its assertion asserting Tuesday’s raids, the EPPO mentioned it had requested that authorities raise the immunity ― usually given to diplomats, defending them from authorized motion ― of “a number of suspects” previous to the probe, and that this was granted. It didn’t specify which our bodies it had made the requests to.
The EU official talked about above mentioned the EPPO had directed a request to raise Sannino’s immunity to the EEAS in September, and that the Fee had not been made conscious of it.
An EEAS official didn’t reply on to a query about whether or not such a request had been acquired. The official mentioned the EEAS would have adopted the regulation in such circumstances.
The allegations should not confirmed and Mogherini, Sannino and the opposite particular person who was detained are presumed harmless till deemed responsible by a court docket.
Sannino didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark through his European Fee workplace.
Tuesday’s occasions may additionally irritate tensions between EU politicians and Belgian authorities. Two officers questioned the standard of the Belgian justice system, noting that authorities had held flashy press convention and detained suspects however then didn’t advance instances within the 2022 “Qatargate” scandal and this 12 months’s bribery probe into Chinese language tech large Huawei’s lobbying actions.