The Greek government remains in a state of cautious observation regarding the parliamentary investigation into the OPEKEPE scandal, as the European Public Prosecutor’s Office continues its probe. With a second criminal referral expected to reach Parliament soon, details remain unclear, keeping the political landscape fluid and unpredictable.
A recently revealed email from former OPEKEPE head Evangelos Signandrakos to the European Public Prosecutor has added fuel to the fire. Sent just last week (June 30, 2025), the message outlines prior communications he had with the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Giannis Bratakis, in November and December 2023. In those letters, Signandrakos explained that subsidies were withheld from 9,309 so-called ‘red’ VAT numbers—farmers who declared grazing land but no livestock—on grounds of ineligibility. Notably, 63% of these cases originated from Crete.
In his correspondence, Signandrakos also described public attacks from then-Minister of Rural Development and ND MP for Heraklion, Lefteris Avgenas, and claimed he was pressured to resign. He warned that such interference could jeopardize the credibility of OPEKEPE payments and even trigger scrutiny from the European Commission.
Just weeks later, on December 8, 2023, Signandrakos reiterated concerns over continued pressure from the Ministry and urged mediation from Maximos Mansion to avoid potential suspension of OPEKEPE’s accreditation amid ongoing audits.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated that while the PM’s office was aware of Signandrakos’ concerns, no one obstructed his ability to block suspicious payments. “He said ‘I think these shouldn’t be paid.’ Our people left it up to him—he did what he thought was right,” Marinakis told Skai 100.3 radio.
Sources within Maximos Mansion confirm that no final decision has been made regarding possible legal responsibilities of former ministers Makis Voridis and Lefteris Avgenas. The government is reportedly evaluating each case separately and waiting for PASOK’s formal proposal for a parliamentary investigative committee targeting both individuals for alleged complicity and moral authorship in breach of trust.
According to insiders, intercepted conversations already submitted to Parliament appear more damaging to Avgenas than Voridis, suggesting differentiated accountability. This opens the possibility of a Pre-Investigation Committee being formed exclusively for Avgenas.
Ultimately, the catalyst for any official parliamentary action will be the second criminal referral expected from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office—an awaited development that could reshape the political narrative entirely.