Greece’s main opposition Socialist party repeated calls for early elections Friday and accused the governing conservatives of widespread corruption after three Cabinet members were replaced over their involvement in a farm subsidy scandal.
The resignations followed an investigation of the scandal by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, as European Union funds were disbursed in subsidies, that was forwarded to Greece’s Parliament Friday.
PASOK spokesman Costas Tsoukalas said this meant that “the restructuring of the government was not decided by [Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis] but by the EPPO.”
“In any case, no restructuring can save a government that is based on a majority [of lawmakers] under investigation by the judiciary,” Tsoukalas said. “The only answer is early elections to achieve cleansing.”
At least 13 lawmakers in Mitsotakis’ governing New Democracy party have been named in investigation files sent by the EPPO to Greek authorities for lifting of their immunity from prosecution. ND has a six-seat majority in the 300-seat Parliament.
Tsoukalas added that Friday’s replacement of the rural development minister “underlines the extensive corruption whose core and heart lie deep within the government and the Prime Minister’s office.”