Latest news with #NewDemocracy
Euractiv
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
EU prosecutor Laura Kövesi haunts Greece's rotten system
Recent scandals revealing the misuse of millions of euros in EU funds have thrown Greece's New Democracy government into turmoil, as it struggles to contain mounting public anger. Many citizens now view the EU prosecutor as a rare beacon of hope in the country's fight against entrenched corruption. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came to 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 triggered public outrage emerged only after intervention by EU Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi. The story is far from over The latest scandal centres on OPEKEPE, the Greek agency responsible for distributing EU agricultural subsidies. The agency stands accused of processing falsified land leases and submitting false declarations – channeling millions of euros to non-existent farmland between 2019 and 2022. In another case, the European Commission imposed a record €415 million fine on Greece for the mismanagement of agricultural funds between 2016 and 2023 – once again involving OPEKEPE. Wiretapped phone conversations, recorded by Greek police at the request of the EU prosecutor, have further shocked the public – evoking a past many hoped was buried. In mafia-style language, those involved named right-wing New Democracy ministers, claiming they were aware of the fraud and were even asked to 'get rid of' the EU prosecutor. Public frustration intensified after it was revealed that Greek taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost – an estimated half a billion euros in damages. An EU source told Euractiv that Greek authorities will need to draw from the national budget to compensate farmers in the coming years. Another investigation led by Kövesi concerns the infamous '717 contract,' funded by the EU to install signalling and surveillance systems on Greek railways. The contract was never implemented. Its absence played a role in a deadly train crash that killed 57 people. Legal proceedings remain ongoing, as the opposition accuses the government of attempting a cover-up. Brussels insiders warn that 'too many issues are piling up,' raising serious concerns over Greece's ability to manage EU funds. Local media report the story is far from over, with the EU prosecutor now scrutinising large-scale projects linked to cohesion funds and the EU Recovery Fund. Local justice under fire In Athens, the prevailing view is that without the EU prosecutor, these scandals would never have come to light. Public mistrust of the Greek judiciary is widespread. An opinion poll published in March found that seven in ten Greeks do not trust the judicial system, where top positions remain government-appointed. Four ministers have already resigned, but Article 86 of the Greek Constitution shields them from prosecution. Only parliament can lift a minister's immunity, but the governing majority can easily block such motions. Kövesi has openly criticised the article and even lodged a complaint with the European Commission, arguing it hinders her ability to fully pursue investigations. The Commission, however, remains silent. An EU spokesperson declined to comment, citing 'ongoing criminal investigations or trials.' The Greek government, for its part, has pushed back – accusing Kövesi of exceeding her mandate by focusing on Article 86. In November 2020, the conservative government abolished the office of the corruption prosecutor, which had been handling more than 500 active cases. One of those was the Novartis scandal, in which the pharmaceutical giant allegedly bribed Greek healthcare professionals to promote its drugs. In the United States – where the scandal was first exposed – Novartis was fined with more than €700 million. In Greece, no one has been prosecuted. Eleni Touloupaki, the former corruption prosecutor, was herself indicted for abuse of power after New Democracy came to office in 2019. She was acquitted in March 2023. (aw)
Euractiv
17 hours ago
- Business
- Euractiv
Greece faces migrant surge as Libya, Turkey intensify Mediterranean energy deal
ATHENS – More than 5,000 migrants from Libya have reached the shores of Crete and Gavdos since the beginning of June – prompting European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to dispatch her migration commissioner to the region. As temperatures soar, the timing of the arrivals coincides with an agreement between Turkey and Libya to launch seismic surveys south of Crete aimed at finding energy riches. The issue could quickly escalate in Athens – with Greece's ruling New Democracy party reeling from a scandal involving EU funds. Tensions between the three countries date back to 2019, when Ankara and Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli signed a memorandum of understanding establishing their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the Mediterranean Sea. The deal, which completely ignores the existence of Crete and has been condemned by the EU as illegal, grants the two countries rights to seabed resources. The Libya-Turkey rapprochement is not a diplomatic coincidence: Turkey doesn't recognise that Greek islands have EEZ status, contrary to the International Sea Law, which Ankara has not ratified. With the Libya deal, Turkey wants to set a legal precedent in the region. In response, Greece signed a competing maritime agreement with neighbouring Egypt. As illustrated in the map below, the maritime zones of the four countries clash, making the situation in the Mediterranean region highly complex. Moreover, Athens sought help from the opposition faction in Libya: Moscow-backed Khalifa Haftar, the Benghazi-based commander of the Libyan National Army, which controls the eastern part of the country. Initially, Haftar rejected the Turkish-Libyan MoU. However, in early June, press reports suggested that Haftar might be reconsidering his position after an approach by Ankara, whose geopolitical influence in the wider region has grown following the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Crisis management Diplomatic sources in Athens have attributed Libya's recent migration pressure to a Greek government decision to publish a call for tenders for exploration and exploitation licenses for offshore blocks south of Crete – an area in which U.S. energy giant Chevron has expressed interest. An EU diplomat told Euractiv, on condition of anonymity, that there are indications Libya may be trying to weaponise migration to serve joint political objectives with Ankara. 'But it must not be ignored that the Libyan government does not have effective control over the entire country, especially on local authorities, which often collaborate with smugglers,' the diplomat added. This would not be the first time a third country has weaponised migration against the EU. Turkey did so in 2020 against Greece, and Russia has done the same on several occasions against Eastern European countries as part of a program experts describe as hybrid warfare. The European Commission estimates there has been a 173% rise in Libyan migrant arrivals into Greece. With Europe's memories of past crises still fresh, Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen immediately tasked Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner with meeting Libyan authorities – both in the west and the east – at the beginning of this month, with 8 July touted as a potential date. The plan is for Brunner to be accompanied by the migration ministers of Greece and Italy. Sotiris Roussos, a professor of international relations at the University of Peloponnese, argues that the timing of events matters less than the underlying objectives of Libya and, possibly, Turkey. 'The Libyan government, which effectively controls Tripoli and surrounding areas, wants to demonstrate its ability to exploit resources so that it can play a distributive role in the future domestic balance of power,' Roussos said. The professor added that Haftar, who is 'under Russian influence,' does not appear to be obstructing this cooperation between Turkey and the Tripoli government. Socialist PASOK lawmaker Michalis Katrinis told Euractiv that the incidents are interconnected and pose 'serious risks.' He accused the conservative government of being unwilling to exert pressure on Libya via EU funding mechanisms and called on Brussels to take decisive action. 'It is inconceivable that Europe would finance a country that directly challenges the sovereign rights of an EU member state,' he said. The government is considering suspending all asylum applications from people arriving from Libya, while two Greek frigates have begun patrolling south of Crete. (jp, aw)
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Greek PM vows to investigate €290m ‘fake' farmer fraud scandal
The Greek prime minister has vowed to get to the bottom of how a scheme of fraudulent EU subsidy claims could have operated undetected in the country for years, as he admitted that the scandal had revealed 'the state's inadequacy' in dealing with corruption. Faced with revelations that 'fake' farmers had been scamming designated agricultural funds to the tune of a reputed €290m (£249m), Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday a special taskforce would be set up to 'immediately and exhaustively' investigate the illegal payments. The far-reaching scandal has already prompted the resignation of five senior government officials. One was the migration minister, Makis Voridis, a former far-right activist and prominent figure in the governing New Democracy party who was agriculture minister when the fraudulent scheme is alleged to have operated. In a rare display of damage control, Mitsotakis acknowledged the failings of a state apparatus that ought to have changed. 'The state's inadequacy is obvious,' he said. 'Clientelism [political patronage] cannot govern the way we conduct business.' The scheme, which allegedly saw hundreds of applications being made by nonexistent owners of pasture and grazing land over a five-year period beginning in 2017, was brought to light by the European public prosecutor's office (EPPO). The Luxembourg-based office launched its inquiry in 2021. The funds were distributed by the state subsidy agency, OPEKEPE, which has since been dissolved. On Monday the centre-right prime minister told his cabinet that the new taskforce would be expected to act speedily. 'I await results quickly. We will investigate the incidents immediately and exhaustively in line with internal and European legislation. Since OPEKEPE didn't manage to do its work the state will do it centrally.' The scandal has been described as 'one of the biggest farming frauds of recent years' according to Politico, which said the illegally siphoned funds could amount to €45m (£38.6m) a year. The misuse was such that citizens with no known links to the agriculture sector, including a lawyer based in Athens, had applied for the aid. Some had posed as the owners of fictitious plots and others making claims as fake livestock breeders. Officials who had tried to alert authorities after uncovering irregularities were either discredited, demoted or removed from top posts. OPEKEPE has had six presidents over the past five years. The revelations have fuelled public anger and come against a backdrop of disaffection with a political elite seen as inefficient, out of touch and corrupt. An MRB poll last week revealed a stunning 74.5% of Greeks believed ministers had a hand in the scandal. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion 'While it is very positive that at long last this abscess has been lanced it does not honour the country that [it] is being cleaned up at the initiative of the European prosecutor,' said Maximos Charakopoulos, a governing party MP from the farming region of Larissa. For Mitsotakis, a leading figure of the European centre-right who led his party to a landslide victory and second term in 2023, the scandal is as embarrassing as it is potentially damaging. A significant number of the false claims were made in his native Crete, where the prime minister's prominent political family have long held sway. EU diplomats in Athens said Mitsotakis was at risk of losing the high moral ground needed to govern effectively if he was not seen to act fast. 'This scandal is so big that he has to act decisively,' one said. 'His language and actions show us that he is aware the rot needs to be exposed.'
2 days ago
- Politics
A hard-right lawmaker is sworn in as Greece's migration minister
ATHENS, Greece -- A hard-right lawmaker was sworn in Monday as Greece's migration minister, replacing a fellow right-wing political heavyweight who resigned following accusations of involvement in the distribution of European Union farm subsidies. Five high-ranking government officials, including the previous migration minister, Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers and a secretary general, resigned last Friday following allegations they were involved in a scheme to provide EU agriculture subsidies to undeserving recipients. The funds, which were handled by a government body known by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, were allegedly given to numerous people who had made false declarations of owning or leasing non-existent pastures or livestock. Thanos Plevris, 48, succeeded Voridis and is expected to maintain Greece's hard line in migration policy. Both Plevris and Voridis joined the conservative New Democracy party in 2012, from the right-wing populist Popular Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, party. Voridis has denied any involvement in the alleged farm subsidy fraud and said he resigned in order to clear his name. The European Public Prosecutor's Office, which has investigated the case, passed on a hefty file to the Greek Parliament last week that includes allegations of possible involvement of government ministers. Lawmakers enjoy immunity from prosecution in Greece that can only be lifted by parliamentary vote. On Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his New Democracy party had failed to stamp out graft. 'Significant reform efforts were made,' Mitsotakis said in a social media post. 'But let's be honest. We failed.' He said anyone found to have received EU funds they were not entitled to would be ordered to return the money. 'Our many farmers and livestock breeders who toil and produce quality products, and all law-abiding citizens, will not tolerate scammers who claimed to have non-existent pastures and livestock, or those who enabled them to do so,' Mitsotakis said.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
A hard right lawmaker is sworn in as Greece's migration minister
ATHENS: A hard-right lawmaker was sworn in Monday as Greece's migration minister, replacing a fellow right-wing political heavyweight who resigned following accusations of involvement in the distribution of European Union farm subsidies. Five high-ranking government officials, including the previous migration minister, Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers and a secretary general, resigned last Friday following allegations they were involved in a scheme to provide EU agriculture subsidies to undeserving recipients. The funds, which were handled by a government body known by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, were allegedly given to numerous people who had made false declarations of owning or leasing non-existent pastures or livestock. Thanos Plevris, 48, succeeded Voridis and is expected to maintain Greece's hard line in migration policy. Both Plevris and Voridis joined the conservative New Democracy party in 2012, from the right-wing populist Popular Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, party. Voridis has denied any involvement in the alleged farm subsidy fraud and said he resigned in order to clear his name. The European Public Prosecutor's Office, which has investigated the case, passed on a hefty file to the Greek Parliament last week that includes allegations of possible involvement of government ministers. Lawmakers enjoy immunity from prosecution in Greece that can only be lifted by parliamentary vote. On Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his New Democracy party had failed to stamp out graft. 'Significant reform efforts were made,' Mitsotakis said in a social media post. 'But let's be honest. We failed.' He said anyone found to have received EU funds they were not entitled to would be ordered to return the money. 'Our many farmers and livestock breeders who toil and produce quality products, and all law-abiding citizens, will not tolerate scammers who claimed to have non-existent pastures and livestock, or those who enabled them to do so,' Mitsotakis said.
