Greece Lifts Immunity of 13 Lawmakers in EU Fraud Probe

Greece's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to lift the parliamentary immunity of 13 lawmakers from the ruling New Democracy party, paving the way for investigations by the European Public Prosecutors Office into alleged fraud involving millions of euros in European Union agricultural subsidies. The move, which included support from members of the governing party itself, targets prominent figures such as former ministers Kostas Tsiaras and Yannis Kefaloyannis, as well as Deputy Health Minister Dimitris Vartzopulos. The case centers on accusations of instigating breaches of trust, computer fraud, and issuing false certificates to divert funds managed by the national agency OPEKEPE.

The probe, led by the EPPO under Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi, stems from a scheme that authorities say began around 2018 and defrauded at least 23 million euros. Greek police have arrested dozens of non-political individuals in connection with the scandal since last year, focusing on beneficiaries who falsely claimed subsidies for nonexistent land or livestock. Wiretap recordings from 2021 reportedly capture lawmakers discussing specific farmers' cases and urging officials to expedite...