Greece’s ruling New Democracy party has decided to vote against an opposition motion to lift the immunity of two former ministers, as requested by the EU prosecutor investigating their potential involvement in an EU farm subsidies scandal.
On Monday, left-wing opposition parties tabled a joint motion to establish a parliamentary preliminary investigative committee into former Minister for Rural Development and Food Spilios Livanos and his deputy, Fotini Arabatzi.
European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi had asked for their immunity to be lifted so they could be investigated over suspected fraud in a case that has shaken Greek politics.
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Unlike ordinary lawmakers, whose immunity can be lifted through standard parliamentary procedures, ministers are protected under Article 86 of the constitution, which requires the formation of a preliminary investigative committee.
In a move echoing the handling of the 2022 train crash that claimed 57 lives, the governing majority has decided to vote against establishing such a committee.
“There is no evidence to justify the creation of a preliminary investigative committee. Therefore, the response of the governing majority will be negative,” government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said.
Opposition parties have accused the government of once again attempting to cover up the scandal and shield its ministers from prosecution.
In an interview with Euractiv in March, Kövesi sharply criticised Article 86, arguing that it creates significant obstacles to her investigations. In her view, the core issue is not the existence of political immunity itself, but the fact that such barriers can prevent prosecutors from even establishing the facts or determining guilt or innocence.
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She stressed that lifting immunity is the bare minimum required for justice to function.
New Democracy lawmakers have attacked Kövesi, accusing her of playing political games against the government.
However, those criticisms were countered by newly appointed Agriculture Minister and former European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, who stressed that “those who complain about the European Public Prosecutor’s Office are like people complaining about the weather.”
A recent poll indicates that a large majority of Greek citizens (78%) support the country’s participation in the EU prosecutor’s mechanism.
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Source:
www.euractiv.com