Politics

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has submitted a case file concerning the alleged subsidy scandal linked to OPEKEPE, naming eleven sitting ministers, deputy ministers and Members of Parliament affiliated with New Democracy, as well as two former ministers.Authorities are seeking the lifting of parliamentary immunity for the sitting MPs in order to proceed with further investigation into suspected irregularities involving agricultural subsidies that may have affected the financial interests of the European Union.Politicians named in the case fileThe following active MPs and ministers are included in the investigation: Maximos Senetakis, MP for Heraklion and former Deputy Development Minister Vasilis Vasileiadis, MP for Pella Giannis Kefalogiannis, Minister for Climate Crisis and Civi...

Greek livestock farmers are pushing back against pressure from the European Commission to vaccinate animals against an ongoing sheep-pox outbreak, amid claims that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned them that EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has a “specific agenda” on vaccination. More than 470,000 animals have already been culled, and farmers fear that mandatory vaccination could jeopardise exports of feta cheese and undermine long-term production. While the European Commission has been recommending vaccination, Athens has so far refused to proceed, citing concerns that by-products from vaccinated animals could face restrictions in third-country markets. On Monday, farmers met Mitsotakis to seek clarity. According to accounts reported by Documento, the prime minister told the...

Greek political leaders issued messages marking Greek Independence Day, highlighting themes of unity, democracy, peace and national dignity inspired by the Greek War of Independence.Nikos Androulakis stated that 25 March represented the spirit of Hellenism and emphasised that the 1821 Revolution sent a global message that determination and faith in struggle could overcome even the strongest opponents. He said Greeks envisioned an independent and democratic state, reflected in the revolutionary constitutions, and stressed the responsibility to preserve the principles and values of those who sacrificed for the country. He called for a Greece characterised by national dignity, social justice, strong institutions and high expectations for society.Sokratis Famellos highlighted the duty to stren...

The Greek government has signed a contract for the installation of new water treatment systems in northern Greece, aimed at ensuring safe drinking water following concerns over elevated uranium levels in the local supply network.The agreement, valued at €1.73 million (excluding VAT), covers the supply and installation of three reverse osmosis systems for the municipal water utility serving the wider Serres region.The project is designed to secure safe and uninterrupted access to drinking water for residents across multiple communities affected by water quality issues.Government response to water safety concernsThe initiative is part of a broader plan to restore and upgrade the local water infrastructure after elevated uranium concentrations were detected in parts of the municipality.NEWSLE...

This article first appeared in Volume 54, Issue 1 of our print edition of Index on Censorship, titled The forgotten patients: Lost voices in the global healthcare system, published on 11 April 2025. Read more about the issue here. In August 2022, one of the largest surveillance scandals in modern Greek history came to light. Often referred to as the Greek Watergate, it revealed that officials within the government and the National Intelligence Service (EYP), including associates of prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, had been involved in deploying Predator – a spyware tool developed by former Israeli military personnel. Intellexa, the founding company, had sold multiple licences to the EYP and, according to reports from The Guardian, Reuters and elsewhere, the EYP had subsequently sent mes...

Fires have already drastically reshaped the Attica landscape. Since 2017, the region has lost 37 percent of its forests and grasslands. Of the four mountains that form land boundaries around Athens—Mount Parnitha to the north, Mount Pentelicus to the northeast, Mount Aigaleo to the west, and Mount Hymettus to the east—all but Mount Hymettus have experienced large wildfires in the past few decades. It’s little wonder that Athenians are angry and want somebody to blame. “There’s political outrage as well as a political debate all the time,” Michalis Diakakis, an assistant professor of geography and climatology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, told me by video call. “Every time a fire catches, the public is outraged. It’s sad that it becomes political, because most of th...

Maria Karystianou has sparked criticism from the government and opposition parties after suggesting abortion should be a subject of public consultation during a television interview on Monday, January 19. Speaking on OPEN TV, Karystianou, a doctor who rose to prominence following the 2023 Tempe railway disaster and who has said she plans to launch a political party, described abortion as a complex ethical issue involving both women’s rights and what she called the rights of the embryo. “I know that abortions are legal. I am talking about the ethical issue,” she said, adding that broader public consultation could lead to a “more democratic” outcome. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said the comments were shocking, particularly because they were made by a doctor, and stress...

The Greek Parliament is set to vote later today on an emergency legislative act aimed at cushioning the impact of surging energy prices, as the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis seeks to contain the economic fallout from the ongoing war in the Middle East.The measures, introduced as fast-track legal provisions, include fuel subsidies, broader efforts to address rising living costs, and targeted support for the agricultural sector. Among the latter are interventions linked to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on the island of Lesbos, highlighting the government’s attempt to address overlapping crises.Government defends “realistic” approachGovernment officials have framed the package as a “balanced response while respecting fiscal limits”. Speaking on behalf of the Finance Ministry, Depu...

Türkiye and Greece held the 9th round of the Türkiye–Greece Positive Agenda Joint Action Plan discussions on Wednesday in Athens, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay and Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theoharis, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. According to the ministry’s social media statement, delegations from both countries reviewed progress made since the previous meeting in Ankara and discussed potential new areas of cooperation to be added to the ongoing Positive Agenda framework. A joint written statement released after the talks said the two deputy ministers welcomed advancements across a wide range of sectors under the Joint Action Plan, including trade, economy, customs, tourism, transport, innovation, science and technology, agriculture, environmental...

Greece’s governing party, New Democracy, retains a clear electoral advantage, even as public dissatisfaction with economic conditions and daily life remains widespread, according to a new opinion poll released this week.The survey, conducted by Metron Analysis for the TV boradcaster MEGA, suggests that while the political balance of power has not shifted dramatically, frustration with both the government and the opposition runs deep, while a large bloc of undecided voters could yet reshape the landscape.In the poll’s vote estimate, New Democracy stands at 29.4%, gaining nearly one percentage point compared with the firm’s January survey. The center-left PASOK trails far behind at 12.7%. Close behind are Plefsi Eleftherias at 11.2% and Elliniki Lysi at 10.9%. The Communist Party of Greece (...