GREECE Trends and Developments Contributed by: Ilias Anagnostopoulos and Constantina Akrida, Anagnostopoulos
ses (including forensic analyses), expertise, and oper - ational support.” The investigation focused on the following: • the granting of subsidies to non-existent producers and non-cultivable land; • the use of fictitious land leases in Natura protected areas; and • the sharp increase in the number of declared animals (eg, sheep and goats in Crete reportedly exceeded 7.8 million). The evidence collected, which also resulted from the lifting of communications confidentiality, is said to confirm the existence of a (long-standing) fraudulent scheme in Greece’s agricultural sector and misman - agement of European agricultural subsidies through OPEKEPE. The path toward cleansing The publicity surrounding these events set in motion a series of developments. The Prime Minister announced the “end” of OPEKEPE and the transfer of the Agency’s responsibilities to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). The European Commission imposed a fine of EUR415 million on Greece for fictitious pasture declarations and illegal subsidies during the period 2016–2023. In July 2025, the first convictions of those involved in the OPEKEPE case took place. The defendants were found to have received illegal subsidies and were con - victed by the Single-Member Misdemeanours Court for fraud against the financial interests of the EU, while some were also convicted of using forged documents. The defendants were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from six to 40 months. Overall, more than 30 people have been convicted in connection with the scandal so far, mostly farmers and accountants. The individual cases involving high- ranking officials and the “hard core” of the network are still at the pre-trial stage. Following their questioning before the investigating judge, 11 defendants were
remanded in custody, while others were released sub - ject to restrictive conditions pending trial. Ministers ’ criminal liability and parliamentary immunity In June 2025, the voluminous case file compiled by the EPPO was forwarded to parliament, as it impli - cated two former Ministers of Agriculture. Greece has adopted a hybrid system regarding the criminal liability of ministers, governed by Article 86 of the Constitution and Articles 153–159 of the Par - liamentary Rules of Procedure. Under these provisions, only parliament has the authority to initiate criminal proceedings against Members of the Government or Deputy Ministers, whether current or former, for offences committed in the exercise of their duties. If, during a criminal investigation, evidence emerges indicating that such individuals may have committed a criminal offence, this evidence must be promptly submitted to parlia - ment, which decides, by an absolute majority of the total number of MPs, whether or not to initiate criminal prosecution. Article 86 of the Constitution also provides for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee to conduct a preliminary investigation. However, in this particular case, no preliminary investigation commit - tee was established; instead, a parliamentary inquiry committee under Article 68 of the Constitution was formed. The latter is responsible for examining mat - ters of political interest, such as cases of misman - agement, public contracts, or transparency issues, and does not exercise investigative or prosecutorial functions. After the completion of its work, the committee sub - mitted a “discharge” report concerning the former Ministers under investigation, in which it concluded – exceeding its mandate, according to critics – that there were no grounds to hold them politically or even criminally liable. In April 2026, the EPPO forwarded new case files to the Hellenic Parliament regarding the criminal
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