Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addresses lawmakers at parliament on March 28, 2024. ARIS MESSINIS / AFP
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday, April 6, asked the European public prosecutor's office to launch "without delay" proceedings against lawmakers suspected to be involved in alleged fraud related to EU agricultural subsidies.
European Union prosecutors last week said they were probing numerous members of the ruling New Democracy party as part of an investigation looking into whether beneficiaries of agriculture subsidies had made false claims. Greek authorities estimate that the network had defrauded at least €23 million ($27 million) since it started around 2018.
Mitsotakis said that he had requested the lifting of immunity of the 11 MPs who are under investigation and who, according to Greek media, are all members of his party. "I am asking the European Public Prosecutor's Office, once the immunity of our MPs has been lifted, to immediately take all investigative measures," he said in a statement broadcast on public television, adding that it would have to "rule on whether, against how many, and against which individuals it intends to bring charges."
Last week, three cabinet members resigned over the scandal, which has piled pressure on Greece's government.
