Greek former EU commissioner Avramopoulos challenges Belgian arrest warrant in Qatargate case
Dimitris Avramopoulos, a Greek MP and former European Commissioner, filed an appeal with Greece's Supreme Court on 25 June 2026 seeking to annul a European arrest warrant issued by Belgian authorities in connection with the Qatargate corruption probe.
Filing and background
On 25 June 2026, Dimitris Avramopoulos, a member of the Greek parliament for the New Democracy party and a former European Commissioner, lodged an appeal against the execution of a European arrest warrant with the prosecutor of the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos). The warrant, issued by Belgian judicial authorities, stems from the sprawling Qatargate investigation into alleged corruption involving EU officials.
The Belgian warrant and charges
According to the appeal documents, the European arrest warrant accuses Avramopoulos of three offences: membership in a criminal organisation, public corruption, and money laundering. The warrant, as described in Greek media reports, is the first step in an attempt by Belgium to secure his extradition for questioning.
Avramopoulos's legal challenges
Avramopoulos contests the legality of the warrant on multiple grounds. He argues that the document does not specify with the required clarity the time, place, and circumstances of the alleged acts, elements that both Greek law and the European framework demand. He further contends that the warrant fails to adequately identify the national judicial decision or national warrant on which the European arrest warrant was based, a requirement under current legislation. In addition, Avramopoulos asserts he has not committed any criminal offence.
Next steps
The appeal will now be examined by the competent judicial council of the Supreme Court, which will decide whether the warrant should be annulled or enforced. No timeline for that decision has been set.
