Former EU Diplomat Federica Mogherini Faces Corruption Charges Amid Investigation

Federica Mogherini, the former chief diplomat of the European Union, along with two others, has been formally accused of fraud and corruption, as reported by the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO). Although the EPPO did not name Mogherini explicitly, references to her role as rector of the College of Europe in Bruges imply her involvement in the allegations. The other two accused include a high-ranking staff member of the College and a senior official from the European Commission, all of whom were questioned by Belgian police. The investigation that culminated in police raids on the EU foreign service's headquarters in Brussels and the College of Europe, as well as Mogherini's private residence, has left EU insiders in shock. Prosecutors suspect fraud related to a tender for a contract to administer a training academy for young diplomats, a contract that was ultimately awarded to the College of Europe by the EU foreign service. The accusations, according to the EPPO, involve procurement fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, and violations of professional secrecy. The office clarified that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a Belgian court of law, and all three accused have been released without being deemed a flight risk. As of now, Mogherini has refrained from commenting on the allegations. In response to the situation, the College of Europe has expressed its commitment to fully cooperate with authorities to ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of the ongoing investigation. One of the individuals indicted is reported to be Stefano Sannino, who served as secretary general of the European External Action Service from 2021 to 2024. When asked for a comment, he directed inquiries to the commission, which stated it is collaborating with an investigation regarding events that occurred prior to the current EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas's term. Mogherini held the position of the EU's high representative for foreign affairs from 2014 to 2019, following a brief tenure as Italy's foreign minister. After her diplomatic career, she became the rector of the College of Europe in 2020, a move that drew controversy as some alumni questioned her academic qualifications and experience managing a significant academic institution. The College, which is funded by the EU, was awarded a tender in 2020-2021 to operate the European Union Diplomatic Academy, a nine-month training program for aspiring diplomats. Prosecutors believe that there is substantial evidence suggesting that confidential information may have been improperly shared with one of the candidates involved in the selection process. The diplomatic academy, launched as a pilot project in 2022 with a budget of nearly €1 million, aims to nurture a European diplomatic corps that embodies a truly common diplomatic culture, as outlined on the commission’s website. Mogherini, who also serves as the academy's director, hailed the initiative as a significant advancement for European diplomacy. In the inaugural 2022-2023 cohort, about 40 diplomats from EU member states and institutions participated in the program, with a further 50 diplomats joining in its second year. The training involved four months in Bruges and an additional month at the EEAS headquarters in Brussels, where the diplomats honed their understanding of EU policies, as well as diplomatic skills such as negotiation, communication, and protocol. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2