Belgian judicial authorities have issued a European arrest warrant for former European Commissioner and Greek MP Dimitris Avramopoulos over alleged links to the Qatargate corruption investigation, but the warrant has not yet been executed because his parliamentary immunity must first be lifted.
Avramopoulos denies wrongdoing, says the payments in question were lawful and declared, and has urged the matter to be fully investigated by the Greek authorities.
Belgian warrant and immunity hurdle
As reported by Reuters, Belgian investigators have issued a European arrest warrant for Dimitris Avramopoulos in the Qatargate probe, while Greek judicial authorities have been informed of the move. Euronews reported that the Belgian judiciary is seeking to question him as part of a broader corruption investigation into alleged influence operations in the European Parliament. The warrant cannot yet be executed because Avramopoulos is currently a member of the Greek Parliament, and his immunity must be lifted first.
Allegations in the Qatargate case
According to multiple reports, the case is linked to the long-running Qatargate scandal, which began after Belgian investigators alleged that foreign actors tried to influence decision-making in the European Parliament through payments and gifts. Sources said the focus now includes Avramopoulos’s past involvement with Fight Impunity, an NGO founded by former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, who is central to the wider scandal. Reports also say investigators are examining alleged financial benefits of about €73,000 tied to the matter.
Avramopoulos’s response
As reported by news outlets citing Avramopoulos directly, he has strongly rejected any suggestion of misconduct and said he had “no involvement, direct or indirect” in improper activity. In a statement quoted by News247, he said the issue had already been resolved three years ago with full institutional transparency under the European Commission and that his role in Fight Impunity was lawful, declared, audited and taxed. He also said he would not invoke parliamentary immunity and would personally ask the Greek judicial authorities to investigate the matter fully.
What the reports say about payments
The reports say Avramopoulos received monthly compensation of €5,000 for one year after leaving his European Commission post, with the total amount forming part of the Belgian inquiry. Protothema reported that he said these payments were declared in his asset disclosures and tax filings, and that he had obtained written approval from the European Commission and its ethics committee before taking the role. The Greek outlet News247 also reported that he said he asked for the compensation to stop in February 2022 as the NGO’s activity diminished.
Greek legal process
Greek reports say the Belgian case file has been sent through the Greek judicial system and is now moving towards the Ministry of Justice and Parliament. News247 said the Athens Court of Appeal Prosecutor’s Office and the Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office are handling the request before it reaches lawmakers for a vote on lifting immunity. Under this process, Parliament must decide whether the warrant can be executed, and sources said the time limit can be affected by parliamentary recess periods.
Political and legal context
The Qatargate affair has remained one of the European Union’s most damaging corruption scandals, with investigators originally alleging that cash and gifts were used to influence lawmakers. Euronews noted that the Belgian judiciary is treating the Avramopoulos issue as part of that broader corruption case rather than as a separate political dispute. For now, the key question is not only the substance of the allegations but also whether Greek Parliament will allow the legal process to move forward.
Media attribution overview
Reuters reported the arrest warrant and confirmed it through a Greek government representative. Euronews reported that Belgian authorities are seeking to question Avramopoulos and that the case sits within the Qatargate investigation. News247 carried Avramopoulos’s denial and his call for the issue to be examined by Greek judicial authorities, while Protothema detailed his earlier defence concerning declarations, tax treatment and prior approval.
