Yet another fine has been imposed on Greece by the European Commission, this time for €300 million, due to the untimely payment of last July's disbursements.
Just a few months earlier, in June 2025, Greece received another fine of €415 million, due to the inadequate controls and delayed payments of agricultural subsidies by the organization, covering the period 2016-2023.
Essentially, the OPEKEPE scandal and the government's inability to impose order on a "sick" Organization have already cost a great deal and, according to reliable information from BN, will reach €2.4 billion. According to sources at the European Public Prosecutor's Office, the total fraud surrounding the OPEKEPE scandal reaches €2.4 billion, which explains the estimate regarding the fines coming to the country. But it is not only the fines imposed on the country; it is also the billions that have been wasted and ended up in the pockets of a few unscrupulous individuals.
Farmers enraged
Meanwhile, the government is also caught in the vise of the agricultural world's anger, as demonstrated by the recent incident where the Prime Minister fled the Alexandroupoli airport.
The prevailing concern is to avoid any delays in the payment of compensation, which would lead to an uprising by the farming community, against a backdrop of the destruction of primary production in the country. Furthermore, they want to preempt new revelations about the scandal from the European Public Prosecutor's Office, as the renewal of the three Greek judges' terms for five years was unanimously approved.
At a broad meeting at OPEKEPE, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Minister of Agricultural Development Kostas Tsiaras, and the leadership of AADE, the critical issue of timely payment of agricultural subsidies and the transition to the new, stricter control framework was placed on the table. The government admits it is caught "between the pressure of the European Commission for absolute transparency" and the farmers' request for the fastest possible payments, with Kostis Hatzidakis asking OPEKEPE and AADE officials to work intensively ahead of the basic aid payment.
Farmers decide on "exit" to roadblocks
It is recalled here that all the Federations of Thessaly are organizing an all-Thessalian meeting on Tuesday, November 18, at 6:30 pm at the Farsala Cultural Center, as part of the all-Thessalian coordination for roadblocks to be set up in the coming days.
The EOASNL calls on the farmers, livestock breeders, and beekeepers of the Prefecture "to participate massively and militantly in the All-Thessalian meeting in Farsala. United as a fist, we will fight the battle for survival and overturn the policies that are wiping us out and impoverishing us. The governmental responsibilities are enormous for the payment freeze, the killing of over 400,000 sheep across the country, for the huge production cost, the crumbs of compensation from ELGA which are not even paid out, for the low prices of agricultural and livestock products which reach the shelf at exorbitant prices. The OPEKEPE scandal is a scandal of subsidies that are not given to real production and the real number of livestock as the organized agricultural movement has been demanding for years."
Inertia
Meanwhile, the Greek government displays proverbial inertia in confronting the scandal. The competent Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG AGRI) has rejected the current Greek plans as "inadequate," with the government missing the last deadline given to it on November 4.
The possibility of the Commission suspending current payments from the Agricultural Fund is now visible.
The Greek Minister of Agricultural Development, Konstantinos Tsiaras, states that he does not expect this to happen. "There is no risk of us losing agricultural subsidies," he said, adding that Athens will submit a new action plan on time. Last year, the EU transferred agricultural subsidies of €2.2 billion to Greece.
The head of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, Laura Kovesi, praised the "productive cooperation" with the Greek ministers and authorities during her recent visit to Athens, but stressed that "the goal has not yet been achieved." "Some people here have been stealing money for years," she characteristically stated.
Luxury cars instead of cows
For subsidy fraud during the period 2016–2023, the European Commission had already imposed a fine of €415 million on Greece in June. According to investigations, in 2022 and 2023 alone, 1,036 people illegally received a total of €22.7 million from European agricultural subsidies. Investigations by the European Public Prosecutor's Office and the Greek authorities are ongoing, and more cases may emerge.
The now-dismantled state organization OPEKEPE, responsible for distributing European agricultural subsidies, is at the center of attention. Members of Parliament allegedly pressured the organization to approve subsidies for farmers in their constituencies — essentially, buying votes with European funds. At least ten MPs are already under investigation.
Farmers declared non-existent fields or olive groves beyond the altitude where they can be cultivated. When inspectors arrived, some would borrow animals from each other to make it seem as if they had larger livestock units and receive higher subsidies.
Among those who allegedly benefited from European funds are Kalliopi Semertzidou, a former New Democracy politician, and her partner Christos Maggirias. The two allegedly received approximately €2.6 million between 2019 and 2024 for 1,300 supposed dairy cows. However, investigators found no cows in the stables, only luxury cars, a Ferrari and a Porsche. The Anti-Money Laundering Authority seized the vehicles and other assets worth €1.5 million. Semertzidou denies all charges.
Resignations without consequences
According to Handelsblatt, Kovesi characterized OPEKEPE as "synonymous with corruption, nepotism, and clientelism." However, the investigations are not limited to subsidy fraud. The European Public Prosecutor's Office is also examining cases of bribery in customs, irregularities in the use of Recovery Fund (RRF) funds, as well as the Tempi tragedy of February 2023.
57 people died in the head-on collision between an Intercity and a freight train. Greece had previously received €41 million from the EU for a remotely controlled safety and signaling system, which was never installed. What happened to the money remains unknown. "If the project had been completed on time, the tragedy could have been avoided," Kovesi said. Her conclusion was clear: "Corruption can kill."
After the accident, the Minister of Transport resigned. Due to the agricultural subsidy scandal, a Minister of Agricultural Development and two Deputy Ministers also resigned. However, criminal consequences seem unlikely: according to Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, prosecution against members of the government can only be brought if approved by Parliament with an absolute majority. Kovesi criticized this provision and called for its revision.
On a political level, these scandals are becoming increasingly burdensome for Prime Minister Mitsotakis, as they undermine confidence in the government and institutions. According to a poll by the Alco Institute at the end of September, 74% of respondents believe that the government "is trying to cover up" the cases, while 54% believe that those guilty of the subsidy scandal will go unpunished, the German government concludes.
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