“I am disappointed but I accept the decision of the Commission and I’m happy that this long process has finally come to a conclusion,” Henrik Hololei told POLITICO.
BRUSSELS — The European Commission has fired one of its senior officials, Henrik Hololei, after an internal investigation found him guilty of breaking rules, three officials told POLITICO.
Hololei, an Estonian, was subject to an investigation over allegedly violating rules on conflicts of interest, transparency, gift acceptance and document disclosure, according to documents seen by POLITICO last year.
“I am disappointed but I accept the decision of the Commission and I’m happy that this long process has finally come to a conclusion,” Hololei told POLITICO on Thursday.
Hololei was previously a senior EU transport official in the Commission and most recently Hors Classe Adviser in its Directorate-General for International Partnerships. He was notified on March 21, 2025 that he faced an internal disciplinary procedure by the Commission, according to the documents seen by POLITICO.
The probe came after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into corruption allegations. That was prompted by a report from French newspaper Libération that said Hololei exchanged confidential details about a major aviation deal with Qatar in return for gifts.
The claims were based on confidential findings from a 2023 inquiry by the European Anti-Fraud Office, which was triggered by POLITICO revelations.
“The European Commission has concluded a disciplinary procedure with regard to a senior official,” Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen told reporters on Thursday, without naming the official.
Three Commission officials with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to POLITICO that Hololei was the official in question. Two of those and a fourth official confirmed his firing. They were granted anonymity to speak openly about a confidential matter.
“This procedure established that the staff member concerned breached the applicable rules,” Virkkunen said. The college of commissioners has “decided on appropriate and commensurate measures to apply to this senior official.”
This article was updated with details of Hololei’s firing.