Belgian authorities have issued a European Arrest Warrant for Dimitris Avramopoulos, a former European commissioner and current Greek New Democracy lawmaker, in connection with the Qatargate corruption investigation.

The case centers on Avramopoulos’ involvement with a nongovernmental organization founded by Antonio Panzeri – a former MEP and central figure in the Qatargate scandal – through which he allegedly received monthly payments of €5,000.

Belgian authorities are accusing the former commissioner of participating in a criminal organization, with the alleged financial benefit totaling approximately €73,000.

Avramopoulos denied the charges in a statement, calling them “completely unfounded,” while adding that he would seek the lifting of his parliamentary immunity and asking that the Greek Justice Ministry fully investigate the matter.

A complicating factor, according to sources in Brussels, is that Avramopoulos had been summoned to testify before Belgian authorities approximately one year ago on the same matter but did not appear – a development those sources say directly triggered the issuance of the warrant.

The former commissioner has previously maintained that he declared all compensation received from the NGO in his asset disclosure for 2019, while the Belgian justice department contends the payments originated from a “criminal network.”

Greece’s prime ministerial office declined to comment, directing questions to the lawmaker’s own statements, while maintaining the same line it has taken in previous cases: awaiting the outcome of justice proceedings without distancing itself from party members until guilt is established.

Regarding next steps, while Greek judicial authorities have been notified, the warrant cannot be executed until Parliament votes to lift Avramopoulos’ immunity – a process that requires routing through the Athens Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court Prosecutor and the Justice Ministry before reaching Parliament.

Source: Ekathimerini.com