The Greek government, under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has launched a sweeping initiative targeting tax evasion and illegal agricultural subsidies. A special task force led by Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis is at the forefront of this effort, aiming to recover misappropriated funds from fraudulent farmers who exploited the system for years.
Central to this strategy is the integration of the Agricultural Insurance Organization (OPEKEPE) — which represents over 700,000 farmers — into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). This move allows authorities access to critical data needed to identify and prosecute offenders. The task force includes officials from AADE, Financial Police, and the Ministry of Rural Development, working under the directive ‘Bring Back the Stolen.’
Meanwhile, a bizarre scandal has emerged in Crete, where an impossible 7,812,923 goats and sheep were reported in 2024 — far exceeding the island’s capacity to sustain such livestock numbers. These figures, now flagged as fraudulent, highlight the depth of corruption within Greece’s agricultural subsidy system.
In other developments, Deputy Government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis introduced a legislative proposal that could allow the state broadcaster ERT to collect €52 million in outstanding debts owed by citizens who switch energy providers without settling their bills. The plan involves automatically transferring these debts to the debtors’ tax identification numbers (AFMs).
Political tensions are rising as PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis announced plans to submit a request for a preliminary investigation committee to examine potential political responsibilities linked to the OPEKEPE scandal. Former Ministers Vasilis Voridis and Makis Avgenakis remain under scrutiny, though some sources suggest no criminal charges may be pursued against them.
Adding to the intrigue, Voridis was spotted on vacation in Kakovatos, a coastal village in Western Peloponnese, with his wife Danae and close friend Miltos Chrysomallis, a New Democracy MP. Rumors of a secret meeting with former PM Antonis Samaras were denied by all parties involved.