Political turbulence has been triggered in Greece following new case files from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office related to the country’s agricultural subsidy authority, OPEKEPE, with reports indicating that prosecutions are being sought against a total of 20 political figures from the ruling New Democracy party, including 11 sitting Members of Parliament and former ministers. According to the information available so far, five additional political figures are also under investigation.
The first two case files related to the OPEKEPE investigation are expected to be formally forwarded to the Greek Parliament on April 3, 2026. One of the case files, which concerns former Agriculture Minister Spilios Livanos and former Deputy Minister Foteini Arabatzi, has already been transmitted from the Greek Supreme Court to the Ministry of Justice and is expected to reach Parliament shortly. The same investigation, in relation to 11 sitting New Democracy MPs, has been sent directly to Parliament by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation concerns alleged illegal agricultural subsidies and suspected misuse of European Union funds during 2021. According to reports, authorities are seeking the lifting of parliamentary immunity for several MPs in order for the investigation to proceed. Among those reportedly facing potential felony charges are former minister Kostas Achilleas Karamanlis and MP Katerina Papakosta.
The scope of the investigation appears to be expanding. European prosecutors who conducted the inquiry into the 2021 period have reportedly submitted an additional case file concerning two more sitting New Democracy MPs, Charalambos Athanasiou and Tasos Hatzivasileiou, for whom indications have allegedly emerged of moral instigation in breach of duty, with officials from the OPEKEPE agency believed to be the direct perpetrators of the acts under investigation. Because the specific offense does not fall under the jurisdiction of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, this case file has been forwarded to the Greek public prosecutor and is also expected to be transmitted to Parliament with a request to lift parliamentary immunity.
In addition, according to the same sources, evidence has reportedly emerged during the European investigation suggesting moral complicity in breach of trust involving five former MPs. Since they no longer hold parliamentary office and therefore do not have immunity, they are expected to be called directly by European prosecutors to provide explanations as suspects. Authorities stress, however, that being asked to provide explanations does not automatically mean that those involved will ultimately be charged.
With the transmission of the case files from the Supreme Court to the Ministry of Justice and then to Parliament, the legal and political process now formally begins. Parliament will first have to decide whether to lift the immunity of the 11 MPs following a request from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office through the parliamentary Ethics Committee. At the same time, procedures related to ministerial responsibility laws may be initiated for the two former ministers who were leading the Ministry of Rural Development in 2021.
