Greek government in crisis after EU subsidy scandal

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was unusually contrite at the weekend. "We failed," he wrote on Facebook, promising to step up the fight against corruption — even within his own party, New Democracy (ND). Mitsotakis was responding to the latest scandal concerning the misuse of EU subsidies in Greece, which is currently being investigated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). The scandal revolves around several hundred million euros in agricultural subsidies, which were paid out to applicants by the Greek government agency OPEKEPE. Examples include subsidies for nonexistent sheep and goats on the island of Crete and banana plantations on Mount Olympus. It is reported that this happened with the knowledge of two former agriculture ministers in Mitsotakis's government: Makis Voridis, who was in office from 2021 to 2023, and his successor, Lefteris Avgenakis, who held the post until 2024. Voridis, who also enjoys a good reputation as a legal expert, was made ...