Government in turmoil following EU funds misappropriation allegations in Greece
The Greek government is currently embroiled in a significant scandal involving the misuse of European Union (EU) agricultural subsidies, with the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) leading the investigation. The scandal, centred around the Greek government agency OPEKEPE, has resulted in a €415 million fine imposed by the European Commission on Greece in June.
The EPPO lodged an official complaint in May, accusing the Greek authorities on Crete of trying to obstruct investigations. The investigation alleges that millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies were fraudulently allocated to ineligible farmers based on falsified documentation.
Among the officials implicated in the scandal are Makis Voridis, who was the Agriculture Minister during the period under investigation (2019-2021) before becoming Migration Minister. Voridis resigned on June 27, 2025, following the scandal's exposure by the EPPO. Five senior officials who held key posts at the Ministry of Rural Development and Food also stepped down after being named in the EPPO’s case file.
Two ruling New Democracy (ND) party officials implicated and resigned were Andreas Karasarinis, secretary of the party's agricultural organizations, and Yiannis Troullinos, a member of the party's political committee.
In response, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has appointed new ministers and deputy ministers to fill the vacant posts, aiming to restore government integrity. For example, former Health Minister Thanos Plevris was appointed Minister of Migration and Asylum, replacing Makis Voridis.
The current status of the investigation sees the EPPO having submitted a case file to Greek judicial authorities. The government suspended the operations of OPEKEPE weeks ago as part of its response to the scandal. The EPPO investigation is ongoing and appears to be expanding, with expectations of further revelations and possible sanctions.
The 3,000-page file submitted by the EPPO describes a "criminal organization" comprising OPEKEPE officials, lawmakers, and individuals who illegally obtained EU money. The investigation names 15 lawmakers, including 13 from the ruling ND party and one each from the opposition parties PASOK and Syriza, as well as regional civil servants and former OPEKEPE executives.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis has expressed contrition over the scandal and announced new control mechanisms and a zero-tolerance policy towards clientelism to prevent recurrence. He has also announced that OPEKEPE will be abolished by the end of the year.
However, surveys suggest that over 70% of respondents accuse the government of a cover-up. Explosive conversations between officials from the ruling party have been published in newspapers, despite a ban on publication. Plevris, the new Migration Minister, has previously stated that "border protection needs deaths" and has a clear idea of resolving Greece's migration problem through strict border surveillance and deterrent measures that make the country look like "hell" to immigrants.
In summary, the Greek government is facing intense scrutiny over the EU subsidies misuse scandal, with numerous officials resigning and investigations ongoing. The government has announced reforms to curb misuse of EU funds and has pledged to abolish OPEKEPE by the end of the year. However, public trust remains low, with many accusing the government of a cover-up.
- The Greek government, embroiled in a significant scandal over EU agricultural subsidies, has led to a loss of public trust, as over 70% of respondents accuse the government of a cover-up.
- Among the officials implicated in the scandal is Makis Voridis, who was the Agriculture Minister and has since become the Migration Minister, following his resignation on June 27, 2025.
- In politics and general news, the ongoing scandal in Europe, centered around the Greek government agency OPEKEPE, has led to expectations of further revelations and possible sanctions.
- The investigation has alleged that millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies were fraudulently allocated to ineligible farmers based on falsified documentation, which has resulted in a €415 million fine imposed by the European Commission on Greece in June.
