File photo. [InTime News]
Parliament is preparing to fast-track new OPEKEPE agricultural funding scandal indictments so they can leave the legislature as soon as possible and be handled by the regular justice system.
On Friday, the arrival of the case files to Parliament triggered the convening of the Ethics Committee for Holy Tuesday.
Greek Parliament received case files from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) related to the OPEKEPE scandal, which involves the alleged fraudulent distribution of EU agricultural subsidies, along with a request to lift the parliamentary immunity of 11 lawmakers to allow potential criminal investigations.
The Ethics Committee will review requests from prosecutors to lift the immunity of 11 MPs and provide a recommendation to the Plenary, which is expected to vote immediately after April 19. The urgency is driven by concerns over the statute of limitations, particularly for misdemeanors from 2021.
Separately, the case involving two former ministers is being treated differently. The material, considered non-disclosable, became available Friday morning, in a special Parliament room, for party-appointed MPs to study. The room will remain open daily through Holy Thursday, and again from the Tuesday after Easter until April 17.
The plan appears to mirror previous procedures, such as the one for the former Transport Minister in the Tempe railway disaster case, which moved from the Plenary decision to a completed committee report in just about a month. This approach suggests the ruling majority aims to quickly establish a Preliminary Investigation Committee and expedite judicial handling of the cases.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet Friday following the resignation of ministers amid the escalating farm subsidies scandal.