Belgium Former EU chief diplomat resigns from university leadership
The former EU chief diplomat and Italian foreign minister Federica Mogherini, who is suspected of corruption, has resigned from her current post as university rector. Mogherini announced this in a statement on the website of the College of Europe, an elite university in Bruges, Belgium. She made the decision "in accordance with the utmost rigor and fairness" with which she had fulfilled her duties.
04.12.2025, 14:43
04.12.2025, 14:59
SDA
Mogherini had previously rejected the allegations of corruption against her, which have been in the public domain since Tuesday, and made it clear that she would cooperate with the authorities. She was arrested together with EU top official Stefano Sannino and an employee of the College of Europe. They were all released after questioning because the authorities did not consider them to be a flight risk. However, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) announced that they are now officially accused in the investigation.
Informed about the alert in advance?
Accordingly, Mogherini and the two other individuals are accused of criminal offenses such as procurement fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and breach of professional secrecy. According to the German Press Agency, Sannino has since been relieved of his duties.
According to the EPPO, they are suspected of having acted seriously unlawfully in connection with EU-funded training programs for junior diplomats. The ongoing investigation is concerned with whether the university or its representatives were informed in advance of the selection criteria for a tender or already knew before publication that they would be awarded the contract for the project, the EPPO announced. There is a "strong suspicion" that confidential information was passed on to an applicant.
Mogherini was EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2014 to 2019. Since September 2020, she has served as Rector of the College of Europe, which is regarded as a training ground for EU officials and diplomats, and also as Director of the EU Diplomatic Academy, which runs the diplomatic training program. "I am proud of what we have achieved together and I am deeply grateful for the trust, appreciation and support that students, teachers, staff and alumni of the College and the Academy have shown me and continue to show me," she said.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office, officially established in 2021, is an independent EU authority to combat fraud involving EU funds.
