Kyriakos Mitsotakis: The Prime Minister’s Message, OPKEPE Strategy Shift and Farmers Revving Tractors

Developments at OPKEPE remain firmly on the government’s radar, fueling anger among honest farmers who are currently delayed in receiving their rightful subsidies, held hostage by EU-imposed controls after widespread abuses by unscrupulous individuals. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has sent a new message to farmers and livestock breeders, who are revving up their tractors and preparing for protests on November 11. In his Sunday post, Mitsotakis emphasized that the government will not back down “regardless of political cost” until all those who received illegal subsidies are exposed and punished. “I once again ask for the understanding of the farming community. Payments have started and will continue in the coming weeks,” the prime minister stated. So far, 37 people linked to an alleged large-scale fraud network involving OPKEPE subsidies between 2018 and 2022 have been arrested. Most are not farmers or producers, and the amount they allegedly received illegally may reach or exceed €5 million. “The case has already been referred to justice, and investigations continue as evidence suggests the network is even larger,” Mitsotakis noted, adding that over 1,000 individuals have been identified by financial crime authorities as having received unlawful payments totaling €22 million. Meanwhile, to dispel suspicions of cover-up, the government is changing its strategy regarding the parliamentary committee investigating OPKEPE since its founding in 1998. The ruling majority will expand the list of witnesses, approving the summoning of several individuals previously requested by the opposition but initially excluded. Alongside Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Georgios Mylonakis, who has expressed willingness to testify, others at the center of recent revelations—such as the figures known as “Frappes” and “Hasapis”—will also be called. Additionally, current and former ministers of Rural Development and Food, including Kostas Tsiamis, Giorgos Georgantas, Lefteris Avgenakis, Spyros Livanos, and Makis Voridis, will testify. Parliament also awaits the second indictment from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Easing tensions within the agricultural sector remains a tough challenge, with Infrastructure Minister Kostas Chatzidakis and Agriculture Minister Kostas Tsiamis racing to meet three key EU milestones to restore trust and resume full funding.