The EU's former foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has been accused of fraud as part of an EU investigation into the misuse of funds, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has said.
The EPPO stated that searches were conducted on Tuesday at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, where Mogherini serves as head, as well as the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, the office she managed for five years.
The investigation pertains to EU-funded training for junior diplomats, according to the EPPO.
Along with Mogherini, a senior College of Europe staff member and a European Commission official were also detained. The prosecutor's office explained that the accused were formally made aware of allegations pertaining to procurement fraud, corruption, conflict of interest, and violation of professional secrecy.
They were subsequently released as they were not considered a flight risk, and their residences were also searched.
Belgian law permits a person to be arrested and released without being charged while remaining a suspect.
The EPPO highlighted that the investigation is centered around a tender awarded by the EEAS to the College of Europe between 2021 and 2022, amid strong suspicions of favoritism related to the tender for a nine-month training course for junior diplomats.
The EPPO, tasked with probing alleged crimes against the financial interests of the EU, has not disclosed the names of individuals held, but confirmed the immunity of several suspects was lifted as part of this investigation.
The College of Europe is an independent institution that prepares future EU civil servants and is affiliated with the EU, receiving partial funding.
