BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s former foreign policy chief resigned Thursday as head of a prestigious European institute after becoming embroiled in a fraud investigation.
Federica Mogherini announced in a statement that she will resign from her position as director of the College of Europe and the EU Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium.
Mogherini did not give a reason for her resignation, saying only that she did so “with the utmost rigor and fairness in the discharge of my duties.”
“I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am deeply grateful for the trust, respect and support that the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the College and College have already shown me,” she said.
Mogherini was detained for questioning on Tuesday after Belgian authorities raided the offices of the EU diplomatic service in Brussels and the Bruges Academy.
The European Prosecutor’s Office said Mogherini, a senior university staff member and a senior European Commission official were questioned by Belgium’s federal judicial police and later released because they were not considered a flight risk.
“The charges relate to procurement fraud and corruption, conflicts of interest and breach of professional secrecy,” the prosecutor’s office said.
