The Minister of Justice, Giorgos Floridis, expressed strong criticism regarding the OPEKEPE scandal, launching a fierce attack against PASOK and its representative, Nikos Androulakis. He did not hesitate to state that anyone who illegally received funds should be imprisoned.
Floridis questioned the seriousness of PASOK representatives, saying, “You cannot act this way when representing a party that governed Greece for 25 years. Mitsotakis is a smuggler, Mitsotakis is firewood, Mitsotakis is a goat,” referring to Androulakis and his political stance.
He continued, “Mr. Androulakis appears representing PASOK, which governed for 25 out of the 50 years since the restoration of democracy, and says ‘what are these things?’ I try to imagine a conversation Mr. Androulakis might have in Crete: ‘Hey guys, we ruled for 24 years, how come we didn’t notice this?’”
Floridis also addressed the 415 million euro administrative fine imposed by the European Union, explaining it dates back to 2016 due to unresolved issues concerning grazing land. He mentioned that Greece will largely appeal the fine at the European Court. If upheld, the Commission may deduct the amount from future subsidies, but Floridis believes this won’t happen because of recent program withdrawals following announced inspections on honey and organic livestock farming.
He insisted that those involved in financial fraud through OPEKEPE must face serious consequences. “OPEKEPE must be cleansed, those who took money must be found, and those who need to go to jail should do so. Real farmers must be protected.”
Floridis further explained how the system allowed such fraud, noting that false declarations were submitted at reception centers, sometimes approved by experts without proper verification. He pointed out that some veterinarians or agronomists certified non-existent livestock, while others manipulated systems to receive payments using fake tax numbers.
He concluded with comments on European prosecutors, explaining that Greece joined the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in 2021, with seven designated positions approved by the Supreme Judicial Council and the European Commission.
Floridis recalled a personal anecdote from 2000 when former Prime Minister Costas Simitis reassigned him to organize Olympic projects for 2004, saying, “I heard there’s a lot of dirt there; see if you can fix it.” However, half of PASOK’s leadership opposed his efforts, highlighting systemic corruption that was hard to eradicate.