Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday urged the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to swiftly open proceedings against lawmakers suspected of involvement in an alleged €23 million farm subsidy fraud. The request comes amid mounting resignations and growing public pressure on the government.
The European Union’s prosecutors said last week they are investigating multiple members of the ruling New Democracy party. Authorities are probing whether beneficiaries of EU agricultural subsidies submitted false claims, including exaggerated livestock numbers and misrepresented land ownership. Greek investigators estimate the network defrauded at least €23 million ($27 million) since 2018.
Mitsotakis called for the lifting of immunity for 11 MPs under investigation, all reportedly from his party. “I am asking the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, once the immunity of our MPs has been lifted, to immediately take all investigative measures,” he said on public television. He added that the prosecutors would decide “whether, against how many, and against which individuals it intends to bring charges.”
The scandal has already led to significant political fallout. Three cabinet members resigned last week in connection with the allegations, intensifying scrutiny on Mitsotakis and his administration.
EU prosecutors first exposed the scam in May, accusing some farmers of claiming subsidies for land they did not own and inflating the number of animals on their farms. Investigations revealed some cases involved banana plantations on Mount Olympus and pastures declared on archaeological sites, while much of the fraud occurred on the island of Crete.
Authorities carried out raids and arrests last October, and the investigation prompted protests by legitimate farmers whose subsidies were delayed. Mitsotakis has stressed that the fraud originated before he took office in 2019 and vowed to hold those responsible accountable. “We will imprison the thieves and reclaim the funds,” he said.
On Monday, Mitsotakis denounced “the scourge of cronyism” in Greece, describing it as a longstanding problem that has persisted “from one government to another” and contributing to the country’s economic and institutional lag compared with other European states.
The political implications are significant as Greece heads into elections next year. While Mitsotakis’s conservative New Democracy party leads in opinion polls, analysts do not expect it to secure an absolute majority. The subsidy scandal could influence voter sentiment and reshape the political landscape ahead of the vote.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability in Greek public administration, with EU oversight playing a key role in investigating and prosecuting large-scale financial misconduct.
