European Prosecutor: Constitution Changes Needed to Advance Greek Corruption Probes

The Greek Constitution, which grants lone Parliament the powerfulness to prosecute sitting oregon erstwhile authorities ministers, is obstructing the investigations’ afloat reach, said Laura Kovesi. Credit: AMNA

European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi, speaking astatine Piraeus Port successful Greece amid a fraud probe astatine a section customs office, declared that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is “here to stay” contempt facing challenges.

Kovesi is presently successful Athens to reappraisal EPPO’s ongoing probes successful Greece, which see a monolithic farming subsidies scandal (OPEKEPE), a important customs fraud case (Calypso), and the delayed railway information declaration (Contract 717), which is linked to the tragic 2023 Tempi railway disaster.

Addressing these high-profile cases, Kovesi stated that Article 86 of the Greek Constitution—which grants lone Parliament the powerfulness to prosecute sitting oregon erstwhile authorities ministers—is obstructing the investigations’ afloat reach, peculiarly successful the OPEKEPE and Contract 717 probes.

“For galore years, immoderate radical were stealing European funds that should person supported honorable farmers… The atrocious news, arsenic successful the Tempi case, is that the probe could not spell arsenic acold arsenic it should person due to the fact that of the Constitution,” she said. The “good news,” she added, is that Parliament has the powerfulness to amend Article 86.

“During the gathering with the Minister of Justice, helium declared the volition that this alteration volition proceed. Change the Constitution truthful that this does not hap again,” she said.

Kovesi besides confirmed that the EPPO’s large-scale Calypso probe into customs fraud crossed European ports, including Piraeus, has already revealed losses exceeding €800 cardinal successful unpaid duties and resulted successful the seizure of thousands of containers.

She warned that this is not small-time smuggling, but a transgression driven by organized transgression networks, involving officials and bankers.