00:00And the authorization of the activity is one issue, and alleged misconduct is a different type of question.
00:07The European Commission has stated that former Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos' approved NGO activities are a separate matter from the alleged
00:14misconduct, which is suspected to be a part of the ongoing investigation.
00:18When asked whether the Commission's credibility is damaged, the spokesperson underlined that everything was done by the book.
00:25At that time, and at that moment, back in 2022, when we looked at the matter, we had no indication
00:31of any breach of the conditions that were included in the respective college decision.
00:37In contrast to Commission's ethical and practical procedures, Avramopoulos' NGO activities are being investigated as part of a cash-for
00:44-influence corruption network.
00:46For that purpose, the Belgian Supreme Court Prosecutor's Office has just forwarded a European arrest warrant to the Greek Parliament,
00:52along with a formal request to lift Avramopoulos' immunity, as he is still a member of the ruling New Democracy
00:58Party.
00:58After his term as commissioner ended in 2019, Avramopoulos has become a member of the Honorary Board of Fight Impunity,
01:07an NGO founded by the suspected mastermind Antonio Panzeri to influence European Parliament decision-making, and received €75,000 in
01:15total.
01:17Avramopoulos categorically rejects any involvement in the case and states that he will not invoke parliamentary immunity, calling for a
01:24full judicial investigation.
01:25The former Migration Commissioner stated that all monthly payments were transparently declared, taxed, and formally approved by the European Commission.
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