ATHENS, Greece — A tough-right lawmaker was sworn in Monday as Greece’s migration minister, changing a fellow right-wing political heavyweight who resigned following accusations of involvement in the distribution of European Union farm subsidies.
5 high-ranking authorities officers, together with the earlier migration minister, Makis Voridis, three deputy ministers and a secretary basic, resigned final Friday following allegations they had been concerned in a scheme to offer EU agriculture subsidies to undeserving recipients.
The funds, which had been dealt with by a authorities physique identified by its Greek acronym OPEKEPE, had been allegedly given to quite a few individuals who had made false declarations of proudly owning or leasing non-existent pastures or livestock.
Thanos Plevris, 48, succeeded Voridis and is anticipated to take care of Greece’s exhausting line in migration coverage. Each Plevris and Voridis joined the conservative New Democracy social gathering in 2012, from the right-wing populist Well-liked Orthodox Rally, or LAOS, social gathering.
Voridis has denied any involvement within the alleged farm subsidy fraud and stated he resigned as a way to clear his title.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Workplace, which has investigated the case, handed on a hefty file to the Greek Parliament final week that features allegations of attainable involvement of presidency ministers. Lawmakers take pleasure in immunity from prosecution in Greece that may solely be lifted by parliamentary vote.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated his New Democracy social gathering had didn’t stamp out graft.
“Important reform efforts had been made,” Mitsotakis stated in a social media put up. “However let’s be sincere. We failed.”
He stated anybody discovered to have obtained EU funds they weren’t entitled to can be ordered to return the cash.
“Our many farmers and livestock breeders who toil and produce high quality merchandise, and all law-abiding residents, won’t tolerate scammers who claimed to have non-existent pastures and livestock, or those that enabled them to take action,” Mitsotakis stated.