Former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has resigned as rector of the College of Europe after the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) opened an investigation against her for alleged fraud and corruption. Mogherini herself announced this in a statement quoted by "Reuters".
Earlier this week, the EPPO charged Mogherini and two others with public procurement fraud, conflict of interest and breach of professional secrecy. The investigation concerns suspected abuses in an EU training program for young diplomats.
Mogherini's lawyer said she categorically denies any wrongdoing and is actively cooperating with the investigation.
Another of the suspects, senior EU diplomat Stefano Sannino, also announced he would take early retirement this month. In an email seen by Reuters, he wrote that he did not consider it "appropriate" to remain in his post during the investigation but was confident that "everything will be clarified."
Mogherini, 52, led the EU's foreign policy from 2014 to 2019, after previously serving as Italy's foreign minister in Matteo Renzi's government. In 2020, she took over as rector of the prestigious College of Europe in Bruges.
The news of the investigation caused a great shock among diplomatic circles in the EU. In a letter to the staff of the European External Action Service, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas described the allegations as "deeply shocking" but stressed that they should not cast a shadow over the work of thousands of honest officials.