New subsidy probe file heading to Parliament

A total of 18 sitting and erstwhile lawmakers from the ruling New Democracy enactment are astatine the halfway of a 2nd large probe by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office into the OPEKEPE workplace subsidy scandal, according to lawsuit documents transmitted Wednesday to Greece’s Supreme Court.

The files were forwarded by European prosecutors to the Supreme Court and then to the Justice Ministry owed to the engagement of governmental figures successful the transgression probe. The ministry is expected to nonstop the lawsuit files to Parliament connected Thursday or, astatine the latest, Friday for further action.

Sources indicated that the lawsuit efficaciously consists of two abstracted files. The archetypal concerns 11 sitting New Democracy lawmakers, for whom the parliamentary morals committee is expected to initiate procedures to assistance immunity. Among them are existent ministers, though their alleged transgression engagement is not linked to ministerial duties but to their capableness arsenic lawmakers.

The 2nd lawsuit record concerns a erstwhile curate and a lawman curate of agrarian development. Proceedings for these two will travel Article 86 of the Constitution connected ministerial responsibility, arsenic with the archetypal large OPEKEPE lawsuit involving Makis Voridis and Lefteris Avgenakis.

A third strand concerns 5 erstwhile lawmakers, whose cases will beryllium handled straight by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office successful Athens without parliamentary mediation.

The probe concerns alleged offenses including breach of trust, fraud utilizing a computer, and mendacious certification. No charges person yet been filed, but the alleged crimes see some misdemeanors and felonies.

The probe covers the play from 2020 to 2021, with authorities accelerating the processing of grounds amid concerns that misdemeanor offenses hazard expiring under the five-year statute of limitations.

The probe began successful 2020 pursuing a ailment received by a authoritative overseeing interior affairs regarding fiscal crimes tied to cultivation subsidies. Authorities lifted telephone secrecy for suspects, though lone portion of the worldly was initially shared with European prosecutors.

Between 2024 and 2025, European prosecutors ordered afloat transcription and investigation of the material, a process carried retired implicit the past six months by constabulary organized transgression units.

Recorded conversations included successful the lawsuit record allegedly amusement lawmakers and officials discussing subsidy payments with then-OPEKEPE president Dimitris Melas.

Additional recorded worldly from '22 done 2024 remains under review, with further lawsuit files expected.