A major political storm is brewing in Greece as revelations surrounding a subsidy scandal involving OPEKEPE—the country’s agency responsible for disbursing EU agricultural funds—have escalated into a fierce battle among political parties, with mounting accusations of corruption, cover-ups, and institutional failure.
At the center of the scandal is the alleged illegal distribution of millions in EU agricultural subsidies to ineligible recipients, some using fake or inactive tax identification numbers. The issue, which has reportedly cost Greek taxpayers and the EU significant sums over many years, has come to a head just months after the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) submitted a detailed case file to the Greek Parliament. Despite a 3,000-page dossier compiled by European investigators, the Greek government has so far resisted initiating a full judicial probe, sparking outrage among opposition parties and legal experts.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attempted to take control of the narrative on Wednesday during a visit to Central Greece, insisting his government had nothing to hide. “The OPEKEPE issue is a long-standing, open wound,” Mitsotakis said. “We were the first to propose a parliamentary inquiry. What matters to citizens is recovering the stolen funds—and we will recover them.”
Just hours later, his ruling New Democracy party submitted an official request for a parliamentary committee to investigate OPEKEPE’s operations. The request, signed by 60 government MPs, asserts that the inquiry will examine the agency’s activities since its founding and determine how nearly €2.7 billion in EU fines were incurred by Greece over mismanagement and irregularities.
But opposition parties have accused the government of attempting to limit the scope of the investigation and avoid political accountability. From the parliamentary podium, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis charged that the government “normalized corruption”. “You knew who the fraudsters were. Are you mocking us?” he said. “PASOK will vote in full for the inquiry, even if it means going back to 1821, as long as we investigate the roles of ministers like Avgenakis and Voridis.”
Syriza’s leader Sokratis Famellos took the criticism further, directly accusing New Democracy officials of benefiting from the scandal. “The so-called ‘thieves’ mentioned by Mr. Mitsotakis are his party’s own people—those who got rich illegally from public money distributed by a shadowy system,” he said.
The controversy has also exposed deep divisions over constitutional procedures and government transparency. Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis drew criticism for downplaying the need for judicial oversight, arguing that since the parliamentary majority belongs to New Democracy, it can decide whether or not an investigation is warranted. “Who has the authority under the Constitution to decide if there should be an investigation? Parliament. What does the majority say? That no further examination is necessary,” he stated.
That comment has fueled concerns that the government is bypassing legal norms and marginalizing institutions tasked with accountability. The Greek Communist Party (KKE) joined in the criticism, with its general secretary, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, warning that civil servants who attempted to report the wrongdoing were either punished or publicly humiliated. “We’ve seen how this government treats honest public officials—they’re sidelined or ridiculed, as more evidence continues to surface,” he said.
Former Agriculture Minister Makis Voridis, one of the central figures in the case, defended his actions, insisting that his only involvement was approving a technical solution recommended by OPEKEPE and requesting the resignation of its president. “If that’s my ‘crime,’ then it fully proves that New Democracy’s position is correct: there is no criminal responsibility here,” he claimed.
However, legal experts are alarmed by the government’s dismissal of the case. Prominent constitutional scholar Xenophon Kontiadis condemned the decision not to conduct even a preliminary investigation, despite the exhaustive EPPO case file. “Without a single interrogation and despite overwhelming documentation, the government declares there’s no criminal responsibility. This isn’t just a cover-up—it’s a disgrace and an institutional humiliation,” he said.
The situation has drawn criticism from smaller opposition parties as well, which have called for full transparency and the active involvement of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Many see the scandal as a litmus test for the strength of democratic institutions in Greece, particularly in their ability—or willingness—to hold the powerful accountable.
The Greek parliamentary inquiry is expected to begin in early September, but its credibility remains uncertain amid growing skepticism about the government’s intent.
