SYRIZA and New Left are calling for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee to investigate potential criminal liability of two former agriculture ministers in connection with the OPEKEPE subsidy case, following the conclusion of a parliamentary inquiry into the much-beleaguered agency.

The demand comes in a joint report issued by lawmakers from the two opposition parties who participated in the Hellenic Parliament’s investigative committee examining the operation of OPEKEPE, the Greek authority responsible for managing and distributing European Union agricultural subsidies.

According to their findings, the case does not amount to a simple administrative failure but constitutes “a deeply political affair” with responsibility extending throughout the governing period of New Democracy. OPEKEPE is alleged to have overseen a system in which eligibility for EU farm subsidies was artificially created, oversight checks were bypassed and payments were directed to recipients who were either fictitious or not entitled to receive them. The lawmakers argue that this practice may have caused financial damage amounting to hundreds of millions of euros, potentially harming both the European Union’s financial interests and Greece’s legitimate farmers.

Citing witness testimony, legally obtained surveillance material and documentation transmitted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the report states that the evidence points to a systematic practice rather than isolated irregularities. It further alleges that public land was used as a mechanism for allocating subsidies, oversight bodies were weakened and institutional warnings failed to trigger corrective action.

Political Responsibility and Named Officials

In their conclusions, SYRIZA and New Left assign clear political responsibility to two former ministers of rural development and food who served under the New Democracy government.

Makis Voridis, who held the post from July 2019 to January 2021, is accused of failing to ensure meaningful supervision and effective controls and of not halting a system that allegedly generated artificial conditions for subsidy payments.

Lefteris Avgenakis, who served from June 2023 to June 2024, is accused of maintaining what the report describes as a framework of administrative instability. Lawmakers allege that during his tenure there were pressures to unblock taxpayer identification numbers and proceed with payments while audits were still pending.

Call for a Preliminary Criminal Investigation

Based on these findings, SYRIZA and New Left are formally requesting the establishment of a Special Parliamentary Committee under Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, which regulates ministerial responsibility.

Such a committee — often referred to as a preliminary investigation committee — has the authority to examine whether former ministers should face criminal charges.

The two parties are seeking a preliminary examination into possible offenses including complicity in breach of trust against the European Union’s financial interests and moral instigation of such acts, as defined under Greek criminal law, in cases involving damages exceeding €120,000. They also request that an investigation is conducted into whether any additional offenses that may emerge during the process.

The parties stress that the move is intended to ensure a full and in-depth investigation of the evidence gathered during the parliamentary inquiry.

Broader Questions of Accountability

The joint report also raises broader questions about political accountability under the government’s centralized model of governance, often described as an “executive state,” in which significant oversight powers are concentrated in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The lawmakers argue that when authority is centralized, responsibility cannot be diffused. They pose what they describe as a stark question: either the government leadership was aware of serious weaknesses and complaints related to OPEKEPE and failed to intervene, or it was unaware; a scenario they say would undermine its claims of tight central oversight.

“Not a Technical Malfunction”

Throughout the inquiry, SYRIZA and New Left maintain that they consistently highlighted documentary evidence and specific political responsibilities. They reject any characterization of the OPEKEPE case as a mere technical malfunction, describing it instead as a scandal with significant institutional and political implications.

In their concluding remarks, the lawmakers pledge to continue pursuing what they describe as full transparency, accountability and protection of public and European funds, as well as the interests of Greece’s legitimate farmers.

“Democracy cannot function in the shadows.” the joint report concludes. “Society demands answers, not silence.”