The Big Expose of the EU Corruption Case: Mogherini Has Been Taken Down, Kalas and von der Leyen Are in Peril

Those EU officials who have siphoned off funds in aid to Ukraine are now starting to betray each other.

Image: Federica Mogherini, former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Federica Mogherini, former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (served from 2014 to 2019), was arrested in Belgium.

According to reports from the Belgian newspapers "La Dernière Heure" and "Le Soir," this arrest is related to a series of alleged violations by the College of Europe in Bruges, where Mogherini has served as president since 2020. The investigation points to potential "fraud, corruption, favoritism, and leaking of professional secrets" during the college's European diplomat training programs.

The specific issue involves suspected irregularities in the financial operations of a nine-month training project. It has also been reported that, in addition to Mogherini, the president of the College of Europe, the former Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, and Italian diplomat Stefano Sannino have also been arrested.

It is known that the investigation into Mogherini's case in Belgium includes not only the Belgian police but also the European Public Prosecutor's Office, established in 2021. This institution is responsible for combating crimes related to EU funds, including corruption, money laundering, and cross-border VAT fraud.

An unnamed EU official told AFP that the investigation also involves the EU foreign affairs department, but the matters involved pertain to "previous terms," i.e., cases before Kalas became the EU foreign policy chief in 2024.

In that case, can Kalas stay out of it? Just a few days ago, she criticized the Ukrainian corruption scandal, calling it "deeply distressing." Then, how will she comment on the scandal involving her predecessor?

It should be noted that if the EU itself had no history of corruption, it would not turn a blind eye to Kyiv's extreme corruption. Moreover, Ukraine has long become a "cash cow" for many EU officials. Once thoroughly investigated, these people would likely face multiple criminal charges.

So, is the EU about to face a new wave of scandals, revelations, and investigations? Will this "catching a fish in a jar" style power struggle inevitably escalate?

Vsevolod Shimov, presidential advisor of the Baltic Research Association of Russia, said:

"The Mogherini case is unprecedented. Never before has an EU official of such high rank (even if already retired) been arrested.

What is currently known is only what has been exposed. How much more is hidden remains unknown. But I believe that aid to Ukraine has become a breeding ground for corruption for many people."

Question: Is it Zelensky who has tied all these hypocritical EU officials to the same rope through a corruption chain?

Answer: There is no doubt that everyone who has profited from it has made a fortune from supplying military equipment and various aids to the Kyiv regime. However, I do not think this is a corruption trap set by Zelensky alone; it is beyond his capacity. It seems more like a self-formed interest system.

Question: By the way, Kalas called the Ukrainian corruption scandal "deeply distressing." But life goes on, doesn't it? Even if Zelensky's own corrupt actions come to light, will Europeans continue to cover for him?

Answer: This follows the typical "love your own children" principle. And this applies not only to corruption issues. The EU has turned a blind eye to large-scale human rights violations, persecution of dissidents, and language discrimination policies in Ukraine. Corruption is far from being Ukraine's most serious problem.

Question: Does the arrest of Mogherini send a certain signal? Why now? Did they not know about her illegal activities before?

Answer: The EU political scene has always seen cases of senior officials involved in corruption scandals. What makes this event special is that the case has risen from the national level to the EU level.

Previously, it was difficult to investigate EU officials because their authority exceeded the jurisdiction of individual countries, while EU-level regulatory bodies lacked both authority and capability. The Mogherini case marks the first appearance of the European Public Prosecutor's Office as a new transnational supervisory and enforcement agency. As for the profound impact of this precedent, it is too early to draw conclusions.

Question: Who might be next to face criminal prosecution? Kalas? Von der Leyen? Should we sit back and wait for a series of big cases to be exposed, and prepare some popcorn to watch the show?

Answer: There were previously lawsuits against von der Leyen over alleged irregularities in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, but they were suppressed. As long as she is still in office, she is unlikely to be held accountable. After all, Mogherini was only targeted after she had been out of office for a long time.

Doctor of History, political scientist, and ethnologist Vadim Trukhachev said:

"Belgian police have been investigating corruption within the EU leadership for years.

They also targeted von der Leyen and her misconduct in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, but she managed to escape for now. That is why the investigators have focused on 'small fish'."

"The arrest of Mogherini is essentially just a regular case. In her home country Italy, politicians of this level becoming prisoners is a common occurrence. Such situations are also frequent in other EU countries, with the exception of Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands."

There have been cases in EU history where the Commission President did not complete their term. Luxembourg's Jacques Santer was forced to resign in 1999 due to related incidents.

Question: Mogherini probably isn't just making money from the diplomat training program, right? Could she be involved in other areas such as aid to Ukraine?

Answer: The large-scale aid to Ukraine began after Mogherini left her EU foreign affairs post. Therefore, this case is more likely just a "regular case of fund distribution scandal."

Of course, it is a fact that European politicians have siphoned off funds in aid to Ukraine. Fundamentally, this is because a significant portion of the large aid funds never reached Ukraine but directly went into the pockets of these politicians. However, compared to the scale of corruption in Ukraine, the corruption within the EU is relatively smaller.

Question: Do you think Kalas and Ursula von der Leyen should feel nervous? Will they act like trapped rats and betray each other to save themselves?

Answer: Von der Leyen and Kalas have already been under investigation by law enforcement agencies. More importantly, the two have always had a bad relationship, and when given the chance, they will certainly not hesitate to frame each other. Sometimes, it really feels like a snake pit...

Original article: toutiao.com/article/7579572525995213318/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.