The latest revelations about OPEKEPE, the Greek payments authority for EU agricultural aid, point to a "scandal with the signature of New Democracy and [Prime Minister] Kyriakos Mitsotakis in person," main opposition leader Nikos Androulakis, the head of the PASOK-KINAL party, said in Parliament on Thursday. He noted that this was a "moral, political, financial and institutional scandal" that had deeply shaken the trust of the Greek people and shattered all sense of transparency in the state.
Talking about the repercussions, Androulakis noted that a reduction in the subsidies given to Greece will punish thousands of farmers who had done nothing wrong, while risking a reduction of agricultural production, and added: "The next memorandum with which you saddle the Greek people will be the memorandum for the farming sector."
"I heard the prime minister say: 'Unfortunately we failed'. No, Mr. Mitsotakis. You did not fail. Nor were you in the dark. You were simply caught. Better 'failed', however, than guilty. This is what your communications experts tell you and this is what you say," PASOK's leader continued, stressing that his party will "insist on transparency, insist on accountability, insist that the country's name should not be tarnished by your networks of nepotism and partisan control."
Androulakis also disagreed with the government's narrative that these were "long-standing systemic problems" and not confined to Greece, pointing out that no other country came close to the fine of almost half a billion euros imposed on Greece in this case.
He held the prime minister accountable and demanded that Mitsotakis reveal how long he has been aware of the OPEKEPE scandal, why he did not prevent it (leading to such a large fine), and why he provided political coverage to the New Democracy ring that played a leading role in misappropriating European funds.