Greek politics is in turmoil on multiple fronts. The parliamentary Ethics Committee voted unanimously to recommend lifting the immunity of two MPs — Chatzivasileiou and Athanasiou — in connection with the OPEKEPE agricultural payments scandal. Chatzivasileiou himself requested the lifting, declaring he had “no connection with the illegal actions that took place.” The proceedings were marked by heated clashes between committee members, with one MP accusing the chair of “protecting the accused.”
Separately, Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority seized a vast trove of assets in one of the country’s largest cigarette-smuggling cases: properties across the country, luxury cars, and even an oil tanker. Eight of 26 suspects are in pretrial detention, including two brothers allegedly known by the code names “President” and “Putin.”
The opposition PASOK party also fired a volley at newly appointed Deputy Agriculture Minister Athanasios Kavvadas, accusing him of having founded a private business while serving as an Air Force officer — a potential legal violation.
