Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his government would disregard any political cost in its efforts to shed light on the OPEKEPE farming subsidies scandal and was determined to press ahead with the ongoing investigation during his weekly review post on Facebook.
Referring to the farming scandal case, Mitsotakis stated the “Greek FBI” managed to dismantle a network allegedly involved in a large-scale, systematic fraud with subsidies from OPEKEPE, spanning from 2018 to 2022. He said that following a coordinated operation across Thessaloniki, Pella, Ioannina, Attica, and Crete, 37 people were arrested, most of whom were neither farmers nor producers. The amount they are suspected of having illegally received reaches €5 million, possibly more.
In his post, the Greek PM also focused on the government’s work in the sectors of health, energy, public order, tourism, and the passing of Greek singer Dionysis Savvopoulos last week, among others.
Mitsotakis began his post with well-wishes, marking today’s dual celebration for the city of Thessaloniki. Referring to the city’s liberation in 1912, he emphasized that the great strides of the Greek nation have always been achieved through unity and faith in its own strength. “This patriotism of responsibility, which unites rather than divides, is what we need today,” he noted.
Regarding the crucial energy sector, the Greek premier highlighted the significance of a ministerial decision approving the deal between Chevron and Helleniq consortium, which authorized the exploration of hydrocarbons in the four blocs south of Crete and the Peloponnese, stressing it would secure energy independence and geopolitical safety for Greece in the wider region.
Mitsotakis lauded the work of the special financial anti-fraud unit, underlining its success in dismantling 139 criminal organizations since it was established a year ago.
As he stated, the Public Investment Development Program for 2025, with resources amounting to €14.6 billion, the largest budget of the past 15 years, has already been implemented by 93.6% for the national and co-financed segments and by 110% for the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
He added that through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, 855 projects are currently being implemented, a performance that keeps Greece among the leading countries in the European Union 27 in terms of fund absorption. Under the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework 2021–2027 (ESPA), project calls have reached 81% and approvals 72.4% of the total budget.
