Federica Mogherini takes a step back and resigns as rector of the College of Europe. Overwhelmed by the investigation by the EPP, the European Prosecutor’s Office, which on 2 December led to her arrest – and subsequent release – in Belgium together with two collaborators, the former EU High Representative decided to resign after five years at the helm of the College of Europe and director of the European Union Diplomatic Academy.
Mogherini’s resignation as rector of the College of Europe
He did it with an email, sent to the staff and students of the prestigious school in Bruges. “In line with the utmost rigor and correctness with which I have always carried out my duties, today I have decided to resign from the position of Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the Diplomatic Academy of the European Union”, wrote Mogherini.
And again: “I am certain that the College community on our three campuses will continue the path of innovation and excellence that we have charted together over these last five wonderful years. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and I am deeply grateful for the trust, esteem and support that the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the College and the Academy have shown me and continue to show me. It has been an honor and a pleasure for me to serve the College community and its mission, together with all of you”, wrote Mogherini in the email, published a few minutes later on the College of Europe website.
The accusation of alleged procurement fraud
The accusation fallen on Mogherini and his other collaborators concerns alleged irregularities and fraud with corruption in the competition for the creation of the European Diplomatic Academy won in 2022 by the College of Europe, of which Mogherini was rector. The former head of European diplomacy was released after interrogation and not considered a flight risk. In a long interrogation lasting more than ten hours, Mogherini had claimed his rigor and correctness in the case, claiming that everything had taken place in transparency and no favors had ever been received from the college: the information, he said, was all public.
The accusation from the United States
The judicial scandal that shook the European Union has reached the other side of the Atlantic. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau attacked Mogherini after the alleged fraud case involving her. “This is, among other things, the same person who defined communist Cuba as a ‘one-party democracy’ and promoted European investment, tourism and trade, which supported the island’s repressive and highly anti-American regime,” Landau wrote on X, sharing the news of Mogherini’s arrest.
