EU seeks lifting of Greek lawmakers’ immunity over farm aid fraud

The European Chief Prosecutor connected Wednesday asked Greece to assistance the immunity of 11 lawmakers to let an probe into their relation successful a workplace assistance fraud ungraded which has sparked governmental resignations and drawn a hefty EU fine.

European prosecutors past year charged dozens of ⁠Greek stockbreeders for faking ownership of ⁠pastureland and livestock to person millions of euros successful EU fiscal aid.

The EU successful June besides fined Greece 392 cardinal euros implicit the OPEKEPE agency’s mismanagement ​of the subsidies betwixt 2016 and 2023. ⁠The bureau handles much than 2 cardinal euros successful yearly EU workplace aid.

A curate and 4 elder officials of the ⁠centre-right authorities of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ‌have ⁠resigned implicit their alleged relation successful the scandal, which has led to a parliamentary probe.

In a caller improvement connected ​Wednesday, the European Chief Prosecutor asked the Greek parliament to assistance the ‌immunity of 11 progressive lawmakers, enabling it to advancement with the probe and “to found the facts, while searching for inculpatory arsenic well arsenic exculpatory evidence,” the prosecutor’s bureau said.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office ​is an autarkic bureau of the European Union.

The probe relates to alleged crimes against the EU’s fiscal interests successful 2021, including instigation of breach of trust, machine fraud and mendacious attestation ‌with the ​intent to get an unlawful benefit, the statement said.

The Prosecutor did not sanction the lawmakers, adding that accusation was passed to parliament indicating ⁠possible engagement of a erstwhile agrarian improvement ‌minister and his deputy.

Government reacts

Greek authorities spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said EPPO’s statement was “a superior development” ​and the authorities would measure each lawsuit erstwhile parliament receives the file.

A abstracted parliamentary probe ‌into ⁠the ungraded ⁠wrapped up this year but ended successful governmental deadlock ​due to competing findings by the governmental parties.

Several probes into the alleged relation ​of OPEKEPE officials stay ongoing, the prosecutor’s statement said. [Reuters]