Dimitris Avramopoulos immunity proceedings in Qatargate case

The Greek Parliament has received a formal request to lift the parliamentary immunity of New Democracy MP Dimitris Avramopoulos, following allegations related to the Qatargate scandal. The file was transmitted by the Deputy Minister of Justice, Ioannis Bougas, to initiate the necessary parliamentary process, including a review by the Ethics Committee and a plenary vote. Belgian authorities have leveled three charges against the former EU Commissioner: participation in a criminal organization, public corruption, and money laundering. Avramopoulos has denied all allegations, describing the warrant as invalid and claiming that his past work as an honorary member of the NGO Fight Impunity was transparent, taxed, and pre-approved by the European Commission in 2021. The European Commission stated that it has received no requests to lift his immunity regarding his former tenure as Commissioner and declined to comment on the ongoing criminal proceedings. While Avramopoulos claimed he expected legal representation from the EU, the Commission noted that no such request had been submitted. Meanwhile, the legal procedures in Belgium continue, requiring the domestic lifting of his immunity before any further judicial action can be taken.