Brussels frames the meetings with the former commissioner dotted with Qatari bribes in courtesy meetings

BRUSELAS, 21 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The European Commission has framed this Wednesday in "courtesy meetings" the meetings held by members of the European Executive with the former Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, who was paid at that time by the NGO dotted with the Qatari corruption plot in the European Parliament.

At a press conference from the European capital, the main spokesman Eric Mamer explained that in November 2021 Avramopoulos had "short courtesy meetings" with former colleagues from the Commission, his successor as head of the Interior, Ylva Johansson, or the Health Commissioner, Stela Kyriakides. Likewise, on some occasion there were private meetings with commissioners when they were in Greece, he has deepened.

Avramopoulos is not formally investigated but has acknowledged that he received a salary from the NGO Fight Impunity (Fight against impunity, in English), the axis of the plot of former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri to influence Brussels for the benefit of Qatar, which has done jump the alarms in the community capital.

"In none of these meetings, as far as we understand, did he represent the NGO for which he requested an authorization from the Commission nor did they discuss any related issue," Mamer said, referring to Avramopoulos' activity in this organization.

In any case, Brussels has indicated that it will contact the former Greek commissioner to clarify his activity in this organization and has announced an internal verification of the process to authorize his activity after leaving the European Commission. The code of conduct of the European Executive provides for a period of two years for the commissioners to resume activities related to their portfolios, in case of aspiring to a position beforehand they must request authorization from the Commission so that it analyzes that there is no conflict of interest.

Likewise, the spokesperson has confirmed that the European Commission has suspended the relationship with the Italian organization No Peace Without Justice, which shared headquarters with the NGO led by Panzeri, until its possible link to the Qatari bribery scheme is clarified.

This includes the disbursement of subsidies, pointed out Mamer, who stressed that this organization had benefited from various calls since the time of the Jean-Claude Juncker Commission. The Italian association was suspended from the European transparency registry in recent weeks, while the Panzeri NGO never registered despite promises to take this step.

The former High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, the Italian socialist Federica Mogherini, was also an honorary member of Fight Impunity, although she did not have to request authorization to carry out this activity as it occurred more than two years after leaving office.