Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini sent a message through her lawyer that she will fully cooperate with authorities following the scandal involving fraud and favoritism charges against her. According to her legal representative, Mogherini is “very calm” regarding the fraud investigation in which she has been named as a suspect. “I have full confidence in the judicial system and believe that the correctness of the College’s actions will be established,” Mogherini stated, adding that she will offer “full cooperation to the authorities” according to Euractiv.
Read: Who is Federica Mogherini who was arrested? The scandal she is accused of
What Federica Mogherini said during her interrogation
During her marathon interrogation, “Ms. Mogherini responded with absolute transparency, she is very calm despite this very difficult ordeal for someone like her, who was very dedicated to European institutions, as her track record shows,” stated her lawyer Mariapaola Cerci.
She described the interrogation as targeted, with investigators pressing for detailed explanations regarding the public tender at the center of the case.
Mogherini’s release without restrictive conditions was “a positive sign,” she added.
Following the hearing, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) confirmed that Mogherini had been formally notified of her status as a suspect – meaning the investigation remains open as prosecutors assess whether she has been cleared or is further implicated. The EPPO stated she was released because she is not considered a flight risk and remains presumed innocent.
Investigation focuses on potential contract manipulation and advance notification to College of Europe
The investigation concerns suspicions of favoritism and unfair competition in the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) award of a training program for future diplomats to the College of Europe. Federica Mogherini headed the EEAS from 2014-2019 and served as director of the College of Europe from 2020.
The investigation seeks to clarify whether the tender for the contract award was manipulated and if the College of Europe was given advance notice of selection criteria to gain an advantageous position.
Von der Leyen distances herself – “Another service is under investigation”
Ursula von der Leyen, for her part and according to Politico, is distancing herself from the corruption charges affecting the EU’s diplomatic service, with officials stating it is not a matter for the Commission President.
After Belgian authorities conducted raids on Tuesday and arrested former EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and former EEAS Secretary-General Stefano Sannino, Commission officials dismissed it as an EEAS problem — noting that while Sannino took a senior position at the Commission earlier this year, the investigation concerns his previous role.
“It’s not the Commission that is distancing itself, but another service that is under investigation,” an EU official said.
To von der Leyen’s benefit, Sannino submitted his resignation on Wednesday, with the Commission announcing he stepped down from his position as head of the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf department (DG MENA).
Three Commission officials emphatically argued that the investigation launched on Tuesday — regarding allegations that the EEAS fraudulently awarded a contract to operate a training academy for future EU diplomats to the College of Europe in Bruges — had no connection to von der Leyen, given that the diplomatic service is a separate entity from the Commission.
Kaja Kallas, the current EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, attempted to do the same, noting she was not in the position at the time of the alleged corruption case. On Wednesday, the former Estonian Prime Minister tried to emphasize that she had worked to clean up the EEAS since being appointed EU High Representative in December 2024.
In a letter to EEAS staff seen by POLITICO, the EU’s top diplomat wrote that she considered the charges against Mogherini and Sannino “deeply shocking,” but that they preceded her tenure at the EEAS. In the months that followed, her team initiated internal reforms, including establishing an “anti-fraud strategy” and strengthening cooperation with the EU’s anti-fraud office OLAF and the EPPO, she reported.
