Update on OPEKEPE investigation and political fallout
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has concluded its investigation into the OPEKEPE agency, resulting in the archiving of cases against nine members of the New Democracy party and the filing of misdemeanor charges against four others. The four MPs, identified as Kostas Skrekas, Christos Boukoros, Maximos Senetakis, and Katerina Papakosta, remain on the party's electoral lists. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis publicly criticized the EPPO, alleging that its handling of the case interfered with domestic political competition. He also demanded an apology from the opposition, particularly PASOK, for labeling the government as a "government of defendants." Mitsotakis noted that three ministers had previously resigned for political reasons, while his spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis emphasized that the presumption of innocence applies to the four charged MPs. The government maintains that it respects the competence of the EPPO while simultaneously critiquing its involvement in national political affairs.