The conversations in the OPEKEPE case file “unlock” which ministers may be heading for the exit – Mitsotakis’ decisions and possible dismissals over felonies

The submission contiguous of the caller OPEKEPE lawsuit record to Parliament is expected to trigger a domino effect wrong the government, arsenic Kyriakos Mitsotakis indispensable analyse the included conversations and marque his decisions.

Based connected existent data, the expected furniture reshuffle is apt to beryllium targeted, focusing connected replacing ministers who whitethorn permission the authorities owed to their involvement. However, it is not yet wide however galore this volition involve, contempt past June’s precedent erstwhile each ministers mentioned successful the lawsuit record resigned. Ultimately, Mitsotakis whitethorn inactive opt for a broader, horizontal decision.

At the forefront are 3+1 individuals who are “flirting” with exit:

• Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras
• Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Giannis Kefalogiannis
• Deputy Health Minister Dimitris Vartzopoulos
• ND Secretary Kostas Skrekas, who holds a peculiarly cardinal enactment position

The authorities is waiting to reappraisal the recorded conversations to find whether ministers are straight progressive oregon whether references travel indirectly done associates oregon OPEKEPE officials. Decisions volition beryllium connected this, though Mitsotakis does not presently look inclined toward a wide reshuffle.

Some authorities officials reason down the scenes that a bolder governmental determination is needed to get up of the harm caused by the ongoing travel of lawsuit files from the European Public Prosecutor.

At the aforesaid time, officials firmly contradict scenarios of aboriginal elections—considered poorly timed—despite renewed speculation. Sources suggest caller comments by Kostis Hatzidakis were aimed much astatine boosting enactment morale than signaling elections.

Felony charges and cardinal decisions

A captious origin for Mitsotakis volition beryllium however to grip cases wherever felony prosecutions are being requested. According to reports, among the “group of 11,” this concerns Kostas Ach. Karamanlis and Katerina Papakosta, though the nonstop contented of their conversations remains to beryllium seen. In Karamanlis’ case, the telephone reportedly involves an subordinate alternatively than himself.

Some sources accidental the much “difficult to manage” cases besides see Skrekas and erstwhile lawman curate Foteini Arabatzi, whose lawsuit falls nether the instrumentality connected ministerial responsibility.

Depending connected the severity of the alleged offenses and the contented of the conversations, tougher decisions whitethorn follow, perchance affecting ND electoral lists. In specified cases, the authorities could proceed with “decapitations,” asking MPs to resign their seats alternatively than look expulsion.

In immoderate instances, prosecutors are reassessing conversations from 2021 already included successful the archetypal OPEKEPE lawsuit record submitted past June. In others, caller conversations person emerged involving figures antecedently mentioned.

In immoderate case, a large governmental situation for the authorities is the likelihood of a continuing bid of lawsuit files, driven by the hazard of statutes of regulation (five years for misdemeanors), with prosecutors reviewing wiretaps twelvemonth by year. Under this logic, different lawsuit file—covering 2022—could travel successful the coming months.