MPs clash over farm subsidy scandal as majority clears its own ministers

The government majority’s conclusion, put to parliament for approval, held that the problems at OPEKEPE stem from ‘long-standing pathologies’ predating the current government, and that a system of ‘technical solutions’ had allowed irregularities in the declaration of land and livestock over many years. On the two former ministers at the centre of the affair, the majority report found that Makis Voridis ‘never intervened in the conduct of audits nor sought to be involved in audits or the release of specific tax identification numbers.’ On Lefteris Avgenakis, the report concluded that no offence of complicity or instigation could be established, and that actions attributed to him were linked exclusively to communications by third parties rather than his own conduct.

These conclusions were reached despite testimony from former presidents and senior executives of OPEKEPE describing networks that had operated to obtain illegal subsidies running to millions of euros. Among the most significant was the testimony of Grigoris Varras, who served as president of OPEKEPE during the New Democracy era and continues to act as an adviser to the Maximos Mansion. Varras described a sharp increase in applications and declarations of livestock, predominantly in Crete, which he linked to the subsidy system. Paraskevi Tycheropoulou, former director of internal control, gave testimony on irregularities in pasture declarations and in the management of the national reserve that allowed ineligible recipients to obtain subsidies.

Further testimony attracted significant public attention. Giorgos Xylouris, known by the nickname ‘Frapés’, invoked his right to silence when questioned about subsidies and his relationships with New Democracy ministers. The couple Kalliopi Semertzidou and Christos Magerias, both New Democracy-affiliated politicians currently under investigation by the relevant authorities for money laundering on the basis of unexplained deposits and the acquisition of luxury vehicles, testified that they could not recall the sums they may have obtained through gambling.

The positions of the parties diverged sharply. The majority rapporteur, Lazaridis, maintained that the evidence had established neither criminal liability for Voridis nor for Avgenakis, and reiterated the cross-party and long-standing nature of the problems. The main opposition rapporteur, Apostolaki of SYRIZA, described the inquiry as having become a ‘laundry of responsibilities’ rather than a mechanism for accountability. The Greek Communist Party (KKE) spokesperson Karathanasopoulos accused the government of seeking to protect its own party machinery at all costs. SYRIZA and the New Left jointly proposed the establishment of a Pre-Investigation Committee on the grounds that serious criminal responsibilities had emerged against Voridis and Avgenakis. Zoe Konstantopoulou, president of Course of Freedom, called for the continuation of the committee’s work, the opening of a preliminary investigation and a full judicial inquiry.

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