One high-profile minister and four deputy ministers tendered their resignations on Friday afternoon in the wake of an ongoing investigation and political fallout over scores of millions of euros in fraudulent agriculture subsidies paid out by a now defunct government organization.
Migration and Asylum Minister Making Voridis’ resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as were the ones tendered by Deputy FM Tasos Papavasiliou, Deputy Ag Minister Dionysis Stamenitis and Deputy Digital Governance Minister Christos Boukoros. All four of the officeholders had at some point after 2019 held ministerial-level portfolios in the rural development and foods ministry, which had jurisdiction over the disgraced Greek Payment Authority of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), known as OPEKEPE in its Greek-language acronym.
A high-profile investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) into widespread fraud involving Community subsidies doled out by OPEKEPE’s services to bogus “young farmers” and stockbreeders, at least identified as such on paper, for fictitious herds and pasturelands, erupted last month. The matter has served as an embarrassment for the Mitsotakis government. OPEKEPE was subsequently disbanded, and its activities and workforce absorbed the independent tax bureau.
In his resignation letter, Voridis maintains he has no culpability in any offense committed in relation to the fraudulent payments. However, he said calls by the opposition to establish a Parliamentary committee of inquiry now mandate that he focus on his defense against any charges. He also said his ministerial post is incompatible with an ongoing investigation.
Cabinet replacements are expected to be announced within days, essentially meaning a “mini reshuffle” is in order.
Source: tovima.com
