PASOK calls for the resignation of minister Makis Voridis over OPEKEPE affair

Main opposition PASOK-Movement for Change called for the resignation of Migration and Asylum Minister Makis Voridis over the revelations relating to OPEKEPE, the Greek agency handling payments of Community aid to farmers, in an announcement released on Friday.
"Mr. Voridis cannot remain in his ministerial position. Will deputy ministers who, as members of parliament, called for 'tax IDs to be unblocked' and for 'subsidy rights to be granted' - even after being told such actions are against the law - and requested that specific individuals 'be exempted from lawful inspections,' continue to serve in the government," the announcement asked.
The party pointed out that, through such practices, Greek tax payers were now saddled with half a billion euros in 'onerous fines' while the evidence in the case file pointed to ministerial liability. It also accused the government of striving to cover them up.
"Since yesterday, the New Democracy government has set in motion a strategy for covering up the liabilities of the former rural development ministers, Makis Voridis and Lefteris Avgenakis, and for downplaying the corruption scandal at OPEKEPE during its term as 'chronic dysfunctions'," the announcement noted.
Citing allegations made in testimony by OPEKEPE executives that the two ministers had demanded the resignations of OPEKEPE presidents that took action to eliminate corruption, while exerting pressure for the unblocking of 'blacklisted' tax IDs, PASOK also warned the government to "not open up a window for the offences becoming statute barred".
"The European Public Prosecutor's Office explicitly raises this danger. We repeat that we will not allow government manoeuvres in this direction," the announcement added.