Greece’s political landscape was roiled by two simultaneous crises on Wednesday. First, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) moved to archive investigations against several ruling New Democracy (ND) MPs in the OPEKEPE farm-subsidy scandal, while referring others for prosecution.
MP Kostas Tsiaras declared the decision “fully restores the truth” about his case, while fellow lawmaker Boukoros expressed confidence he would be exonerated. Government sources seized on the partial exonerations to attack the opposition PASOK party: “Will PASOK apologize to the nine MPs they hung out to dry?” The opposition, however, has long characterized the government as a “cabinet of defendants,” and commentators noted the selective application of the presumption of innocence in Greek public discourse.
Meanwhile, the left-wing SYRIZA party continued to splinter. MPs Barkas and Vetta formally left the party’s parliamentary group, sending letters to the Speaker of Parliament. This comes amid a bitter feud between former SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis and firebrand politician Pavlos Polakis, with Kasselakis threatening fresh lawsuits after Polakis called him a “political fraud.” Former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, for his part, launched a digital town hall (#AskTsipras) — his first direct engagement with party members through the myelas.gr platform — in what appears to be a bid to remain relevant amid the chaos.
