Former Greek EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said some circles in Rome are trying to involve him in the Qatargate scandal to kick him out of the process for the selection of the next EU Special Representative for relations with the Gulf countries, a position that former Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio is also eyeing.
Avramopoulos was a member of the advisory board for the NGO “Fight Impunity”, owned by Antonio Panzeri, who is now under arrest for his involvement in the Qatargate scandal.
Immediately after it was revealed that Panzeri was arrested because of the scandal, Avramopoulos resigned.
However, La Stampa journal revealed that he was not only a member but also on the payroll. According to the report, he got €60,000 between February 2021 and February 2022.
“The committee I participated in, together with personalities such as Federica Mogherini, the French ex-MP Bernard Cazeneuve and Senator Emma Bonino, was honourable […] For my participation and the compensation that would accompany it, I requested the approval of the European Commission, which was given to me in writing by President Von der Leyen”, Avramopoulos said in a statement.
The Commission said an internal process would be launched on Monday to find out what exactly happened with Avramopoulos and the NGO.
But Avramopoulos took a step further, saying that there are circles in Italy who want him out from the competition for the role of the EU Special Representative for relations with Gulf countries.
“There is an organised effort by certain circles in Italy to distort the image of my completely legal and formal participation in Fight Impunity. The first objective is to weaken the candidacy that I have submitted for the position of Special Representative of the European Union in the Persian Gulf and, of course, the support of the Italian Socialist candidate [Di Maio]”, he told news website Enikos.gr.
“Everyone in Brussels knows that we have a lead for this position. I estimate that the final decision will be delayed”, Avramopoulos added.
Di Maio ranked the best, but not without critical comments coming mainly from his own country. Many in Rome complained that his CV lacked the basics for such a high-profile position.
The criticism came to the attention of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Joseph Borrell, who reportedly temporarily froze the nomination.
(Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com, EURACTIV.gr)
Source: euractiv.com
