Russian «blood money» comment lands former high-ranking official embroiled in European Commission

Mr Selmayr became secretary general of the European Commission before leaving in 2018. Photo: Virginia Mayo/AP

The European Commission summoned one of its former senior officials for a reprimand after he called Austria's ongoing payments for Russian gas «blood money.»

Martin Selmayr is now chief diplomat The EU is in Vienna, but in Brussels he was a feared figure in Brussels. years of Brexit negotiations and Jean-Claude Juncker's chairmanship of the commission.

Known as «The Monster» at the commission's headquarters in Berlaymont, Mr Selmayr rose to become secretary general of the executive branch before leaving for Austria in 2018

On Wednesday he criticized Austria's continued dependence on Russian gas imports since Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

“Blood money is sent to Russia every day along with gas bills,” he said at the event.

He added that, as a rich country, Austria, like other countries, could afford to receive energy from other countries.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry summoned Selmayr for an explanation on Thursday. The opposition far-right Freedom Party, which is leading in polls ahead of elections next year, has called for Mr Selmayr to be sacked.

Mr Selmayr was a feared figure in Brussels during the Brexit negotiations and the presidency of Jean-Claude Juncker. Photo: Thierry Monasse/Corbis News

As the scandal worsened, the European Commission issued a statement criticizing its former head.

“The Commission distances itself from the regrettable and inappropriate statements of the head of the Austrian mission,” it said. message. “The commission asked [him] to immediately report this incident to Brussels.”

The public rebuke marks a sharp fall from grace for Mr Selmayr, who has repeatedly denied being the source of the notorious German media reports. that Theresa May «begged» Juncker for help with Brexit at a dinner during her time as prime minister.

The quick and unexpected promotion of a reluctant official to the bloc's top civil servant was dubbed «Selmairgate» on amid accusations of violating EU rules, which the commission rejected.

He left this post and moved to Vienna in 2018 after German citizen Ursula von der Leyen succeeded Juncker as president.

There is an agreement that the two most powerful positions in the executive branch cannot be held by people from the same and same EU member state.

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Austria's coalition government of conservatives and left-wing Greens says it is moving away from Russia as a gas supplier, but the country faces various obstacles, including that it is landlocked.

In June, 60 percent of Austrian natural gas imports came from Russia, down from about 80 percent before the war.

Caroline Edtstadler, Minister Austria's Office for European Union Affairs said: “We can only overcome the challenges facing us through close cooperation. Thoughtless comments such as those reported not only do not contribute to this, but are unfounded and counterproductive.»