Shame without borders … This is the harsh reality for Greece , which every now and then finds itself at the center of international reports due to the scandals that are revealed one after the other , no matter how hard the Government tries to cover them up . The most recent example is the great looting of OPEKEPE .

A scandal about which hundreds of thousands of words have already been written and more will certainly be written. A scandal in the revelation of which the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, headed by the Romanian Laura Kovesi , played a key role .

As the Euractiv website very characteristically emphasizes in the headlines of its relevant article, ” Brussels’ top prosecutor reveals the scandals that Greece tried to bury “, while also pointing out that the Romanian ” haunts Greece’s rotten system “! To the point, as they say…

To make the Government’s discrediting even more… hard core , the publication speaks of “entrenched corruption” in Greece, of “mafia language” in the OPEKEPE dialogues that are coming to light , while also pointing out the European investigation into ” Convention 717 ” that was never implemented, with one of the results being the Tempi tragedy .

Sources from Brussels warned through Euractiv that “ too many issues are piling up ”, raising serious concerns about Greece’s ability to manage European funds .

The article does not lack a reference to the Greeks’ distrust of justice , a reference to the Novartis scandal , Article 86 (on the responsibility of Ministers), but also a special mention of Eleni Touloupaki , who was targeted and fought by the rulers as few justice officials have been.

The Euractiv article

Recent scandals revealing the misuse of millions of euros of EU funds have thrown Greece’s New Democracy government into turmoil as it struggles to contain growing public anger . Many citizens now see the EU prosecutor’s office as a rare beacon of hope in the country’s fight against entrenched corruption .

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took power pledging to eradicate corruption and promote “excellence.”

However, reality has painted a very different picture – one that revives painful memories of the corruption scandals that fueled Greece’s 2009 economic crisis.

Two major corruption cases that caused public outrage were only revealed after the intervention of EU Prosecutor General Laura Kovesi .

The story is not over.

The latest scandal centers on OPEKEPE , the Greek agency responsible for distributing EU agricultural subsidies. The agency is accused of processing fake land leases and submitting false declarations – funneling millions of euros to non-existent agricultural land between 2019 and 2022.

In another case, the European Commission imposed a record fine of 415 million euros on Greece for mismanagement of agricultural funds between 2016 and 2023 – once again involving OPEKEPE.

The phone conversations recorded by Greek police at the request of the EU prosecutor’s office have further shocked the public – bringing to mind a past that many had hoped had been buried.

In mafia-like language , those involved named right-wing New Democracy ministers , claiming that they knew about the fraud and were even asked to “get rid of” the EU prosecutor .

Public frustration intensified after it was revealed that Greek taxpayers would ultimately bear the cost – around half a billion euros in damages. An EU source told Euractiv that Greek authorities would have to draw from the national budget to compensate farmers in the coming years.

Another investigation led by Kovesi concerns the infamous “717 contract” , which was funded by the EU for the installation of signaling and surveillance systems on Greek railways.

The agreement was never implemented. Its absence played a role in a fatal train accident that killed 57 people (ed. Tempi). Legal proceedings continue, as the opposition accuses the Government of attempting a cover-up.

Sources in Brussels warn that ” too many issues are piling up ,” raising serious concerns about Greece’s ability to manage EU funds.

Local media reports that the story is not over, with the EU Prosecutor now examining large-scale projects linked to the EU’s cohesion funds and Recovery Fund .

Local justice under pressure

In Athens, the prevailing view is that without the EU Prosecutor, these scandals would never have come to light .

Public distrust of the Greek judiciary is widespread . A poll published in March found that seven in ten Greeks do not trust the judicial system , where government appointees remain at the top.

Four ministers have already resigned, but Article 86 of the Greek Constitution protects them from prosecution . Only parliament can lift a minister’s immunity, but the government majority can easily block such proposals .

Kovesi has openly criticized this Article and even filed a complaint with the European Commission , claiming that it hinders her ability to fully conduct investigations.

The Commission, however, remains silent. An EU spokesman declined to comment, citing “ongoing criminal investigations or trials.” The Greek government, for its part, has reacted – accusing Kovesi of exceeding her mandate by focusing on Article 86 .

In November 2020, the conservative government abolished the office of the Corruption Prosecutor, which was handling more than 500 active cases . One of these was the Novartis scandal , in which the pharmaceutical giant allegedly bribed Greek health professionals to promote its drugs.

In the United States – where the scandal was first revealed – Novartis was fined more than 700 million euros. In Greece, no one has been prosecuted .

Eleni Touloupaki , the former Corruption Prosecutor, was herself accused of abuse of power after taking office by New Democracy in 2019. She was acquitted in March 2023.

See also:

• OPEKEPE scandal: The e-mail that “burns” Papastavrou, Bratakos and Voridis
• Simandrakos’ letters to Bratakos regarding OPEKEPE were forwarded as related to the case file
• These are the Greek prosecutors who, together with Kovesi, uncovered the OPEKEPE scandal