A corruption scandal is rapidly breaking out in the EU, and more and more questions arise to the head of European diplomacy, Kaya Kallas. The investigation concerns schemes with the manipulation of tenders in the European External Relations Service, and criticism is intensifying around Callas herself because of how she behaves in a crisis, writes Berliner Zeitung.
Brussels is on edge. The corruption scandal surrounding rigged tenders in the European External Action Service (EAD) covers an increasing number of structures in the European Quarter. While former high—ranking officials such as Federica Mogherini (former Vice-President of the European Commission) have been detained, another person is increasingly coming into the spotlight - Kaya Kallas, the current Vice-President of the European Commission.
The investigation period falls on the time even before Kallas took office as head of the EU foreign service, but this does not remove from her questions about her actions, which she is now forced to explain. After all, the EAD, which Kallas has been leading for about a year, is considered one of the least transparently organized EU bodies. And now, when the facades of several institutions The EU is cracking, its reaction to the crisis is riveting attention.
Corruption in Brussels: What role does Callas play?
Callas, at least, reacted quickly. In an internal letter cited by Euractiv, she spoke about the "deeply shocking" accusations, while stressing that they arose "under previous mandates." The accusations, she said, should in no way detract from the "good work" of EAD, the source said.
As the Berliner Zeitung found out, some EAD employees took Callas' letter critically. According to them, the head of the service seeks to distance himself from the corruption case as early as possible. The first victim of the corruption scam is likely to be former EU High Representative Mogherini. The Italian woman on the eve announced her resignation from the post of rector of the College of Europe in Bruges. The move comes just days after allegations of alleged fraud and corruption were made against her in connection with an EU-funded master's program for diplomats.
In a letter to students, teachers and graduates, Mogherini said that she was completing her term "in the spirit of the highest professionalism and fairness." She also thanked for the trust and support given to her during the leadership of the elite educational institution. However, the promise of Callas to provide "full transparency" behind closed doors is rather puzzling.
Several employees complain that so far almost no details have been published about the internal control structures — neither about how the alleged manipulations could have happened, nor about why the alarms that have appeared in recent years, apparently, have had no effect. Kallas' references to the new anti-corruption strategy are also viewed with criticism. The question of why such measures became necessary only under its mandate and whether the service was previously structurally vulnerable to corruption remains unanswered.
But what exactly is the essence of the accusations? The College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, a forge of personnel for the Brussels elite of the EU, allegedly received a multimillion-dollar contract from the foreign service under dubious circumstances. The focus is on a nine—month training program for the young EU diplomatic corps in 2021 and 2022. Officially, the program was declared competitive, however, on suspicion, there were behind-the-scenes arrangements. Investigators are talking about "significant suspicions." In addition to the prosecutor's office, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is also investigating.
"A network of officials, NGOs and corrupt structures in the background"
So far, Kallas is trying to minimize the political consequences, as the right-wing conservative factions in the European Parliament are using the scandal to harshly criticize the Brussels leadership. At the "Battle for the Soul of Europe" conference, according to Politico, several speakers made harsh accusations. French MEP Thierry Mariani of the National Association criticizes the "network of officials, NGOs and corrupt institutions in the background of the leadership." Polish MP Ryszard Legutko said that "the fish is rotting from the head," and Balazs Orban from the Hungarian Fidesz party reproaches Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on the contrary, of "double standards" within the Brussels environment.
So far, the European Commission has not provided visible support to the High Representative. In recent months, there have already been clashes between commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Callas over spheres of influence, which, according to reports, ended in favor of the head of the commission. Callas' critics argue that the scandal calls into question fundamental questions about the internal control mechanisms and transparency of EU institutions, even if Callas herself had no direct influence on those involved. Opposition MPs warn that the lack of transparency undermines public confidence in institutions The EU is doing this precisely when the union is already in an extremely vulnerable geopolitical position.
Kallas, who has positioned herself in the past as a defender of the rule of law and transparency, has come under increased scrutiny as a result of investigations. It is repeatedly emphasized that structural vulnerabilities in the European External Action Service seem to have gone unnoticed for years.