Von Der Leyen has just been cited in a serious corruption scandal involving 60,000 euros

Too many scandals? The question is valid. In any case, in the middle of QatarGate, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, already weakened by the scandal of the vaccines signed with Pfizer, is at great risk, especially since her name has just been cited in a serious affair of corruption involving the Greek politician, Dimitris Avramopuoulos, former European commissioner.

Indeed, according to several Italian media, the latter received the sum of 60,000 euros as part of his activities within the NGO Fight Impunty which is at the heart of the corruption scandal which has shaken Brussels for several days. Information, relayed by the media LaStampa.it and Quotidiano.net and confirmed by Dimitris Avramopuoulos himself.

According to the media La Stampa , Avramopuoulos received this sum to participate in two events. The main interested party does not deny. But, in his declaration, he wets Von Der Leyen, current president of the European Commission, affirming that it is she who approved everything. "I had obtained the approval of Von Der Leyen", he confides.

And Avramopoulos to specify his remuneration within the NGO: “between February 2021 and February 2022, I received a duly declared fee of around 60,000 euros. The monthly payment was 5,000 euros, which was taxed in Greece. My monthly net income at Fight Impunity was 3,750 euros,” he explains.

The other scandal around this affair is that the European Commission issued a written authorization for Avramopoulos to participate in these events on behalf of Fight Impunity, an NGO which, however, is not registered in the transparency register of the EU. In any case, this is the revelation made by the Italian media, IlFattoQuotidiano.it .

Speaking of the 60,000 euros from Avramapououlos, the same source confirms information from the newspaper Stampa in these terms: "Von der Leyen had in fact authorized him to obtain remuneration for carrying out 'awareness campaigns, such as the publication of articles, participation in conferences, launching of events, granting of interviews'. But as mentioned, his work was limited to two conferences and an article in one year, all for 60,000 euros”.

Reacting to the publication of this compromising information, Avramopoulos denounces an orchestrated campaign from Italy against him. “It is a conspiracy on the part of certain circles (Italians, editor's note) which aims to tarnish the image of my candidacy as special representative of the EU in the Persian Gulf. In Brussels, everyone knows that I am the favorite for this position, ”he defends himself.

In Italy, the case arouses reactions

Un evento in Grecia, l’introduzione a un webinar e un articolo online: sono queste le uniche tracce pubbliche dell’«attività di promozione» dell’ong Fight Impunity per la quale l’ex commissario Avramopoulos ha ricevuto un compenso di 60mila euro@LaStampahttps://t.co/0goPHFKDee

— Marco Bresolin (@marcobreso) December 20, 2022