The Ceasefire Saved DETh’s Basket: Cross-Party ‘Bombs’ in the OPEKEPE Documentation Begin

If Trump manages to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and keeps Hormuz Strait open with free navigation, DETh’s basket is not at risk. This was stated to newsit.gr by a top minister. Oil has already dropped significantly. In the tourism sector, losses were recorded due to cancellations by Israeli tourists. Maximou is aiming for prime ministerial announcements with the spearhead of measures supporting the middle class through tax reductions, while discussions continue on the return of the 13th salary and pension if fiscal margins allow. For DETh’s basket to be affected, the uncertainty would need to persist for at least a month, as noted by an economic bureau source. Nothing is certain yet; the next 24 hours are critical as they will determine the following day. This morning, unexpectedly, Justice Minister George Floridis sent the documentation from the European prosecution to Parliament regarding the infamous OPEKEPE scandal. Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamani will announce it in the plenary session, and the next steps for informing MPs will be decided. The document is voluminous but does not reach the size of the Tempi files, which consisted of about 70,000 pages and videos. Reading begins! Depending on its size, Kaklamani will decide whether to set up the large room with 10 computers or open the smaller room for MPs to read and take notes. Over the next few days, the government and parties will decide on their strategy, whether to vote for an investigative or preliminary hearing against two former Agriculture Ministers, Maki Voridi and Lefteris Augenakis, named by the European prosecution. The government seems inclined toward an investigation to expand research into OPEKEPE subsidies exposing the country. All relevant witnesses will be allowed to testify. Major scams here led to the EU cutting our most expensive suit. Greece pays €415 million, the highest penalty for illegal subsidies. Taxpayers bear this cost. About 8-10 political and administrative figures have been implicated so far. Some say specific names with defined responsibilities appear in the documentation when signing off on false declarations. The blame game is extensive, with the European prosecution continuing its investigation. Many have been summoned by the prosecutor. Regarding the 16,500 VAT numbers allegedly misused by then-Agriculture Minister Lefteris Augenakis for electoral purposes, his close associates claim that according to regulations, funds tied to suspicious VAT numbers must be reviewed annually. The 16,500 VAT numbers accumulated over 4-5 years improperly. Augenakis reportedly asked the OPEKEPE president to clear these numbers and begin checks. Around 7,500 were reviewed during his tenure (the process continued after his departure), with 700-800 reaching justice and 6,500 cleared for farmers. PASOK members accuse him of targeting Crete, where he is elected. Each VAT number has its own file and codes showing who signed off on illegal applications. Collaborators deny any SMS instructions to favor anyone. Further investigation will reveal more. During January 1 – June 22, 2024, 45 incidents occurred with 1,968 migrants illegally crossing borders (mainly from Turkey). This year, 133 incidents saw 7,051 migrants arrive (mainly from Libya), a 258% increase. Residents of Gavdos see hundreds of migrants left on beaches daily. Crete lacks infrastructure, prompting local authorities to seek temporary solutions. The migration issue was central in discussions between President Kostas Tasoulas and former Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis post-ceremony. Kairidis emphasized the need for similar agreements with Libya as those with Turkey.