The Greek parliament has voted to strip the parliamentary immunity of Dimitris Avramopoulos, a former European commissioner and sitting lawmaker, in a decisive step that allows Belgian authorities to pursue their investigation into the sprawling corruption scandal known as Qatargate.
Of the 266 deputies present on Thursday, 264 backed the motion, with two abstaining. The chamber's ethics committee had earlier recommended the move unanimously. The vote follows a European arrest warrant issued by a Belgian investigating judge in June against the 73-year-old, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Avramopoulos, a member of the ruling New Democracy party, served as European commissioner for migration between 2014 and 2019 and previously as mayor of Athens. He had himself requested that his immunity be lifted, saying in a memorandum to parliament that he wanted to cooperate fully with the authorities.
"I have never participated, directly or indirectly, in any illegal activity and I have never acted to serve the unlawful interests of any state or third party," he said. He added that he was not seeking protection from the investigation but rather the chance "to present the factual evidence" and prove he had no connection to the acts under scrutiny.
Links to Fight Impunity
The Belgian probe centres on Avramopoulos's ties to Fight Impunity, a non-governmental organisation founded by former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, one of the key figures in the Qatargate affair. Avramopoulos sat on the organisation's honorary board in 2020-2021, after leaving the European Commission.
He has insisted that his cooperation with Fight Impunity was entirely lawful and that any fees were declared to tax authorities. "My involvement in the organisation Fight Impunity was entirely lawful, vetted, approved, declared and taxed," he said when the warrant became public in June.
The European arrest warrant relates to allegations of participation in a criminal organisation, public corruption, and money laundering, according to a document from Greek authorities cited by international news agencies. The charges remain subject to the Belgian investigation and do not constitute a finding of guilt.
The broader investigation began in December 2022, when Belgian police carried out raids and arrests over suspicions that foreign governments sought to influence decisions in the European Parliament through cash and gifts. Authorities have seized around €1.5 million in cash. Among those arrested were Panzeri and Eva Kaili, then vice-president of the European Parliament.
Qatar and Morocco have both denied accusations that they tried to sway European policy and burnish their reputations. The case has cast a long shadow over Brussels, prompting calls for tighter ethics rules and greater transparency in EU institutions.
Avramopoulos's case is separate from the broader political fallout but adds to the pressure on Greek officials and the European People's Party, to which New Democracy belongs. The lifting of immunity does not mean he will be tried, but it allows Belgian prosecutors to question him and, if warranted, bring formal charges.
For now, Avramopoulos remains an MP, though his legal troubles are far from over. The Belgian investigation continues, and the former commissioner has vowed to clear his name.
