The Greek parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of former European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, clearing the way for Belgian authorities to proceed with their investigation into the high-profile "Qatargate" corruption scandal.
Out of the 266 members of parliament present for the vote, 264 voted in favor of lifting his immunity, while two lawmakers declared themselves "present." The decision follows a unanimous recommendation from the parliament's Ethics Committee. The legislative procedure was initiated after a Belgian investigating judge issued a European arrest warrant in June.
The 73-year-old Avramopoulos, who currently serves as an MP for Greece's ruling New Democracy party, was the European Commissioner for Migration from 2014 to 2019 and previously served as the mayor of Athens. He has categorically denied any involvement in illegal activities and personally requested that his immunity be lifted to facilitate the investigation.
In a memorandum submitted to parliament, Avramopoulos stated his desire to cooperate fully with investigators. "I have never participated, directly or indirectly, in any illegal activity and I have never acted to serve the unlawful interests of any state or third party," he said. He emphasized that he is not seeking protection from the probe, but rather the opportunity "to present the factual evidence" and demonstrate that he has no connection to the acts under scrutiny.
Belgian investigators are examining Avramopoulos's links to the non-governmental organization Fight Impunity, which was founded by former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, a central figure in the corruption case. Avramopoulos sat on the honorary board of the organization from 2020 to 2021, following the conclusion of his term at the European Commission.
"My involvement in the organisation Fight Impunity was entirely lawful, vetted, approved, declared and taxed," Avramopoulos stated when the warrant was made public in June.
According to a document from Greek authorities cited by international news agencies, the European arrest warrant relates to allegations of participation in a criminal organization, public corruption, and the laundering of proceeds from illegal activities. These charges remain the subject of the ongoing Belgian investigation and do not constitute a finding of guilt.
The broader Qatargate investigation began in December 2022, when Belgian authorities conducted a series of searches and arrests over allegations that foreign governments sought to influence decisions within the European Parliament through money and gifts. During the course of the inquiry, Belgian authorities have seized approximately 1.5 million euros in cash. Those arrested included Panzeri and the then-vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili.
Both Qatar and Morocco have been accused of attempting to sway European decisions and enhance their public images, though both nations have denied the allegations. The Belgian investigation has experienced significant delays due to legal appeals challenging the lawfulness of certain procedural steps.
