OPEKEPE: The case file reaches parliament – Names and next steps

The case file regarding the OPEKEPE scandal has been sent to Parliament. Rapid political developments are underway, with the government shaken by the involvement of ministers and MPs in the scandal.

On Friday (April 3), the case file for the OPEKEPE scandal was submitted to Parliament. The case involves a former minister, a former deputy minister, and 11 current MPs, most of whom belong to the ruling party.

According to sources, evidence has emerged suggesting possible involvement of former Minister of Rural Development Spilios Livanos and former Deputy Minister of Rural Development Foteini Arampatzi.

The 11 MPs who are alleged to be involved are as follows:

• Katerina Papakosta
• Konstantinos Karamanlis
• Ioannis Kefalogiannis
• Panagiotis Mitarakis
• Konstantinos Tsiaras
• Konstantinos Skrekas
• Dimitrios Vartziopoulos
• Maximos Senetakis
• Vassilis Vassiliadis
• Christos Boukoros
• Theofilos Leontaridis

As per the information, both the section concerning the two former heads of the Ministry of Rural Development and the section involving the 11 sitting MPs were transmitted from the Ministry of Justice to Parliament, where it will be determined whether criminal involvement will be investigated under the ministerial responsibility law and whether the parliamentary immunity of the 11 MPs will be lifted to allow them to provide explanations as suspects to the European Prosecutor’s Office.

Although the case file is expected to be read in Parliament during the plenary session on Holy Monday, all parties will have access to its contents once it is delivered. Consequently, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will make his final decisions. Each case involving a New Democracy MP mentioned in the file will be evaluated separately, as reiterated yesterday by government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis. “We all need to see what this case file contains,” he emphasized.

Once the second case file for OPEKEPE reaches Parliament, nine copies will be placed in Room 168, where MPs will enter in groups of nine to study them. A clearer picture of the file’s content is expected by noon for both the government and opposition parties. For example, whether there is an indirect mention of names and how serious the evidence referred to by the European Prosecutor’s Office is will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Depending on the content of the file, developments may be swift. In fact, the anticipated cabinet reshuffle, which seems unlikely to be expanded but will involve replacements and certain “shifts,” may occur earlier than Holy Monday. The resignation of current ministers who are allegedly involved in the OPEKEPE scandal may be requested today, with immediate replacements. Mitsotakis may even make a public statement before Holy Monday.

There has been silence from the Minister of Rural Development, Kostas Tsiaras, and the secretary of New Democracy, Kostas Skrekas. There has been no approach regarding the Minister of Civil Protection, Yiannis Kefalogiannis, for whom there seems to be an indirect reference this time as well.

However, Marinakis essentially kept all options open regarding the current government members mentioned in the case file, depending on the content of the references. “When we have a clearer picture, the answers will cover society,” he noted.