ATHENS, April 22 (Reuters) – The Greek parliament voted on Wednesday to lift the immunity of 13 lawmakers implicated in a growing scandal over alleged fraud related to European Union farm subsidies which has shaken the centre-right government.
Last year European prosecutors charged dozens of Greek stockbreeders with faking ownership of pastureland to claim millions of euros in EU subsidies, allegedly with the help of state employees and conservative politicians.
The affair had prompted ministerial resignations and led the EU last year to impose a hefty fine on the country over mismanagement of the subsidies by its OPEKEPE payment agency.
In a move that widened the investigation, the European chief prosecutor this month asked the Greek parliament to lift the immunity of 13 active lawmakers of the ruling New Democracy party, including former ministers of agriculture and civil protection in two separate files, so they can be investigated over their alleged roles in the scheme.
The development forced Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis this month to replace two ministers implicated in the affair as he sought to shore up public trust in his governing New Democracy party.
Greek lawmakers cannot be probed by the judiciary unless parliament votes to waive their immunity.
The lawmakers have denied wrongdoing but, addressing the parliament before Wednesday’s vote, they said they agreed to their immunity being lifted so that the investigation could proceed.
The probe by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office – an independent office of the EU – relates to alleged crimes against the bloc’s financial interests in 2021, including instigation of breach of trust, computer fraud and false attestation with the intent to obtain an unlawful benefit.
A separate Greek parliamentary probe into the scandal wrapped up this year but ended in political deadlock due to competing findings by the political parties.
New Democracy’s support dropped to 25.7% in April from 28.7% in March, although it is still 12.2% above the second-placed Socialist PASOK, according to a survey by Greek pollster Interview published on Monday.
(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
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