涉嫌合同招标欺诈 欧盟前“外长”被捕

Core Points - The investigation involves the EU's "European Diplomatic Academy" project, which is a training program for young EU diplomats, with concerns about potential leaks of confidential bidding information [1][2] - The project was awarded to the European Academy after a public tender process, but there are allegations of unfair competition and possible procurement fraud [2] - The first phase of the project had a contract value of approximately €650,000, while the second phase's contract amount is reported to be €960,000 [2] - The project is set to be permanent by May 2024, with an annual budget of around €1.7 million [2] Investigation Details - The investigation was initiated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office and is supported by the EU Anti-Fraud Office [1] - The search included the EU External Action Service headquarters in Brussels and the residences of the suspects [1] - The suspects include former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and current EU diplomat Stefano Sanino, both of whom are Italian [1][3] Project Background - The first trial class of the "European Diplomatic Academy" lasted nine months and was conducted from 2021 to 2022 [2] - The initial tender saw six educational institutions participate, with the European Academy ultimately winning the bid [2] - The first project contract did not cover accommodation and travel expenses, which were paid separately by the EU External Action Service [2]