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A major scandal is shaking Greek politics, as it is suspected that hundreds of millions of euros in European Union funds for agriculture have been illegally obtained through false declarations and fictitious activities.
According to an investigation launched by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and the agency responsible for distributing EU funds, OPEKEPE, were part of a well-organized scheme that avoided controls and allowed the distribution of financial aid to illegal beneficiaries.
But the investigations risk being blocked after a decision by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who said in a statement:
"Greece in 2025 does not need scandals, but the truth."
The EPPO file, over 3,000 pages long, includes wiretaps and transcripts mentioning at least five former or current ministers and ten MPs from the ruling party, New Democracy.
The scandal was made public by the European portal Politico, which leaked the investigation documents. According to reports, the European Union has asked Greece to return around 400 million euros - over 20% of the funds planned for next year.
Among those under investigation are former ministers Lefteris Avgenakis and Makis Voridis. According to EPPO documents, Voridis is accused of forcing the resignation of former OPEC president Grigoris Varras after the latter reported false pastures in 2020. Meanwhile, Avgenakis is suspected of dismissing another president of the agency, Evangelos Simandrakos, who had blocked over 9,000 suspicious payments.
Brussels has warned that it will pursue the matter with full seriousness, while in Athens it remains unclear whether the investigations will continue or be definitively blocked by the Mitsotakis government.
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