The lifting of immunity for 11 New Democracy MPs was unanimously proposed after the meeting of Parliament’s Ethics Committee, which began shortly after 10 AM on Tuesday in room “223” of Parliament. During the Committee session, members were called to decide whether there is reason to propose lifting the immunity of the MPs included in the new case file for OPEKEPE, which was forwarded to Parliament the previous Friday. Only Kostas Tsiaras and Notis Mitarakis appeared physically before the Committee, while the others submitted written memoranda. The 11 MPs for whom immunity lifting was requested are Dimitris Vartzopoulos, Vasilis -Lakis- Vasiliadis, Kostas Ach. Karamanlis, Giannis Kefalogiannnis, Theofilos Leontaridis, Notis Mitarakis, Christos Boukoros, Katerina Papakosta, Maximos Senetakis, Kostas Skrekas, and Kostas Tsiaras.
OPEKEPE: The MPs’ memoranda
In his two-page memorandum, Serres MP Kostas Ach. Karamanlis requests that his immunity be lifted so that, as he says, he can prove his innocence. He also maintains that there is no recorded conversation anywhere, neither of himself nor of his associates. He also denies having committed any criminal act.
Kostas Ach. Karamanlis: I am innocent and wish to prove my innocence
Serres MP Kostas Ach. Karamanlis states in his memorandum: “In the case file forwarded to Parliament by the European Prosecutor’s Office, there are references and conclusions regarding my person, without however recording any conversation either of myself or of any of my associates.
“The disputed issue concerns the rejection on formal grounds of applications from 37 organic farmers, who substantively met the requirements for subsidy payment.
“This payment took place after following the legally prescribed hierarchical appeal procedure.
“Because I therefore consider what is attributed to me completely unfounded and deny committing any criminal act. Because I am innocent and wish to prove my innocence wherever I am called. For these reasons, I ask you to recommend lifting my parliamentary immunity.”
Read Kostas Ach. Karamanlis’s memorandum
Vartzopoulos: I simply pose a question
Thessaloniki B MP Dimitris Vartzopoulos states in his memorandum: “I request the lifting of my immunity, so that my innocence can be proven judicially and beyond any doubt. From the simple reading of the written message I sent, it becomes clear that I simply pose a question, which does not contradict the core duties of an MP. From further study of the case file, it emerges that the case of the directly interested party does not concern an illegal act that minimally harmed the national and EU budget.”
Read Dimitris Vartzopoulos’s memorandum
Kefalogiannnis: My political presence has never been connected with behind-the-scenes mediation practices
Rethymno MP Giannis Kefalogiannnis emphasizes that he requests his immunity be lifted so that any shadow can be removed from him.
“The attempted attribution to me of a role as instigator or beneficiary of illegal interventions in the Administration directly conflicts with the steady and consistent stance I have maintained in exercising my duties. My political presence from 2012 to today has never been connected, in any way, directly or indirectly, with behind-the-scenes mediation practices, improper influence, or serving private interests, but on the contrary is based on the permanent understanding that politicians, like every citizen, must move exclusively within the bounds of legality and respect the functional autonomy of the administration. This is a consistent feature of my public stance, confirmed not only by my political course but also by how even persons who sought the opposite for their own purposes perceived me,” he states, among other things, in his 8-page memorandum.
Vasiliadis: I request immunity lifting, so that the case can be fully clarified
Pella MP Vasilis Vasiliadis states in his memorandum to the Ethics Committee that there is no indication of any illegal act on his part, the reference to his name emerges indirectly from third-party conversations, without him ever having personal contact with the involved persons, and finally declares that “so that there is no shadow or doubt regarding my person, I request the lifting of my immunity, so that the case can be fully clarified and the truth can shine.”
Read Lakis Vasiliadis’s memorandum
The other Serres MP Theofilos Leontaridis maintains that “the conversations concern only the temporal acceleration of payment of legal and secured rights of a female farmer,” while he too requests his immunity be lifted.
Leontaridis: My actions are not illegal
Serres MP Theofilos Leontaridis states in his memorandum to the Ethics Committee that “explicitly and categorically, as I have done from the first moment, my actions mentioned in the case file are not illegal and do not constitute an unjust act.” Elsewhere he emphasizes that his mediation “was for the temporal acceleration of payment of legal rights and not for the charitable payment of illegal and fictitious rights.”
Read Theofilos Leontaridis’s memorandum
Papakosta: I never thought to violate the law
Trikala MP Katerina Papakosta maintains that she never thought to violate the law or get involved in a case of causing economic damage to EU interests. Meanwhile, after explaining how she is mentioned in the European Prosecutor’s Office case file, she requests her immunity be lifted so she can prove her innocence.
“From the outset I declare that I never thought to violate the law, much less to get involved in a case of causing economic damage to the interests of the European Union or the Greek State,” Ms. Papakosta states initially in her memorandum and notes:
“In the context of the present case, the true factual circumstances are briefly as follows: As an MP for Trikala from New Democracy, I agreed to convey a request from a local livestock farmer, an organic fighter, to OPEKEPE regarding receiving part of his subsidy. This request, as the livestock farmer explained it to me, I considered reasonable and legal, believing it concerned a simple cross-referencing of data by OPEKEPE, which had already been correctly and competently declared by the applicant, at the prescribed time.
From reviewing the case file, it emerges clearly that the livestock farmer approached me at a time much later than the conducted audit and all related documents and registrations, both his own and those of the competent veterinary service employees. My knowledge of the case came exclusively and only from the specific livestock farmer, whom I had no reason to doubt. After all, what I did was to bring the specific request to the attention of the OPEKEPE president, certain that it would be thoroughly examined and that, if any irregularity was found, the Organization would take legal and prescribed action.”
“Finally, from the documents that OPEKEPE sent to the European Prosecutor’s Office, it emerges that, despite my good-faith forwarding of his request, the specific livestock farmer did not ultimately receive the disputed linked subsidy amount for 2020. For the following years, 2021 to 2024, I had absolutely no involvement and cannot contribute the slightest element regarding any subsidies the livestock farmer received from OPEKEPE.
In this case, I request the lifting of my parliamentary immunity, having full confidence in Justice and the prosecutors of our country.
I declare that I will immediately approach the competent prosecutorial Authority, to provide my explanations for what is attributed to me and to fully clarify the case,” Ms. Papakosta concludes.
Read Katerina Papakosta’s memorandum
Senetakis: I did not commit the attributed crime
“I did not commit moral complicity in breach of trust and all my actions were within the framework of parliamentary duties,” declares Heraklion MP Maximos Senetakis, who requests his immunity be lifted.
Heraklion MP Maximos Senetakis specifically states in his memorandum to the Ethics Committee: “Because I did not commit the attributed crime and all my actions were taken within the framework of my parliamentary duties, I wish to provide the necessary explanations to every competent Authority, so that not the slightest doubt remains about my innocence. For these reasons, I declare that I request the lifting of my parliamentary immunity, according to Article 62 of the Constitution, in conjunction with Articles 434 and 83 of Parliament’s Rules.”
Read Maximos Senetakis’s memorandum
Boukoros: I conveyed the completely legal request of a young livestock farming couple
Magnesia MP Christos Boukoros states in his memorandum:
“My telephone conversations with the then OPEKEPE president, Dimitrios Mellas, concerned a young livestock farming couple (‘new farmers’) conveying their completely legal request. This specific couple has been continuously active in livestock farming (cattle breeding) from 2017 to today on pastureland that has belonged to their family for many decades. The husband’s grandfather owned the specific area until his death in 2018 and legally leased the said pastureland to the couple.
By virtue of a published will, the pastureland owners became the said livestock farmer, his brother, and his first cousin. After legal actions, the said livestock farmer operates as owner of the pastureland, and his wife as lessee of the brother’s ideal share. In successive inspections from 2017 to today, the existence of animals has been certified, which moreover show an increase from 2017 to today.
I emphasize that all these inspections by the competent service yielded no negative findings.
These two specific conditions, namely the existence of a legal pastureland owner, whose area covers the number of annually declared animals and their existence, constitute the essence of legality for receiving subsidies. These two specific cumulative conditions have never been excluded by the legislator, despite the fact that the legal framework for European subsidies has changed many times. In this case, my communication with the OPEKEPE president concerned the just and legal request of the struggling new livestock farmers, whose support to remain in the primary sector production process I consider my highest duty.
The case file includes an SMS I sent to the then president, in which I mention among other things that the specific livestock farmer expected to receive 25,000 euros and received zero, as I characteristically write. From this message, the amount of 24,000 euros is mentioned in the forwarding document as EU damage. However, from analyzing payments of all types of subsidies, programs, etc. for 2021, it emerges that of the 24,000 euros, 14,000 euros constituted settlement of the ‘new farmers’ program, whose obligation was completed at the end of 2020 and was settled with 2021 payments and naturally has no connection with that year’s rights.
From the remaining amount, about 4,000 euros is connected to animals and not to pastureland (nursing), and the remaining amount of 6,000 euros in total for the two beneficiaries (livestock farming couple) constitutes subsidy for the pastureland, completely legal, as explained above.
I would like to emphasize that conveying legal and just requests from our fellow citizens, especially young farmers and livestock farmers, who face extremely adverse conditions, constitutes a primary duty of a regional MP. The view that this duty should be exercised exclusively through parliamentary control is groundless. Parliamentary control procedures produce results after weeks or even months, as you know. People and animals, however, as you also know, need to be fed daily and this requires many immediate expenses.
In this specific case, the legal, just and anguished request of the couple was reasonably and legitimately conveyed to the then OPEKEPE president by another MP from the prefecture, who unfortunately is included in the general case file for this same incident because he exercised his duties.
Similar technical and bureaucratic problems were faced at that time by 1,026 livestock farmers throughout the country, as emerges from a press release of that time from the Ministry of Rural Development, which were addressed. Indeed, ultimately within the framework of this overall approach, the issue of the said couple was also resolved.
Given these facts, although I committed no criminal offense, in order to present the real facts before the competent judicial Authorities and to exercise all my legal rights, so that no shadow remains against me, I request that the submitted application of the prosecutorial Authority for granting permission to prosecute me be accepted.”
Tsiaras: It is a matter of personal dignity
“I have requested the lifting of my parliamentary immunity precisely because it is a matter of personal dignity and because I believe we all must understand that this case must be clarified as soon as possible.” This was stated among other things by Karditsa MP Kostas Tsiaras exiting Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
“The procedure of my appearance before the Ethics Committee has just been completed, where I had the opportunity to present all the real facts, but also to answer questions from my colleague MPs who are Committee members. I have requested the lifting of my parliamentary immunity precisely because it is a matter of personal dignity and because I believe we all must understand that this case must be clarified as soon as possible. Once again I repeat that it concerned a legal request from a vulnerable citizen, who had been affected by the Mediterranean cyclone ‘Ianos’ in the Karditsa area. From there on, we will see everything in the future.”
Mitarakis: I request my immunity be lifted to clear my name
“I appeared today before the Ethics Committee and requested the lifting of my parliamentary immunity,” emphasized Notis Mitarakis exiting Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
“With my written statement I have explained exactly the real circumstances of the case. I believe that my office, my associates and I moved absolutely within the framework of the Constitution and our political activity, forwarding written requests from citizens who believe they have been wronged by the central administration. I consider it the MP’s obligation to be close to citizens absolutely within the framework of
