In Athens, Greece, significant political turmoil unfolded on Friday as five senior government officials, including a minister and three deputy ministers, submitted their resignations. These departures are rooted in allegations of corruption linked to the mismanagement of European Union agriculture subsidies.
The controversy centers around OPEKEPE, a Greek government agency responsible for disbursing EU agricultural funds from 2019 to 2022. It has been accused of enabling fraudulent claims to secure EU subsidies. The investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed that numerous individuals allegedly submitted false declarations, claiming ownership or rental of pastures that were actually public lands. Additionally, the culprits allegedly continued to falsely report livestock numbers, securing ongoing subsidy payments up until 2024.
Earlier this week, the potential involvement of government officials in this organized fraud scheme was brought to light. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office forwarded an extensive case file to the Greek parliament, highlighting possible corruption amongst ministers. In Greece, elected officials are shielded by parliamentary immunity, which can only be revoked through a parliamentary vote.
Migration and Asylum Minister, Makis Voridis, one of those involved, announced his resignation through a letter addressed to the Prime Minister. Despite maintaining his innocence, Voridis decided to step down to focus on proving his probity. He previously held the position of agriculture minister from mid-2019 until early 2021.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has accepted the resignations of Voridis, as well as the deputy ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture and food, and digital governance, along with the general secretary of agriculture and food. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis, stated that new appointees for these positions would be announced shortly.
Compounding the scandal, the European Commission announced it would reduce Greece’s farming subsidies by 5%, totaling 392 million euros. This decision further highlights the significance of the alleged mismanagement issues and is expected to have a pronounced impact on the nation’s agriculture sector.