The Minister of Rural Development and Food spoke to SKAI about the investigation of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the “Karatomas” of OPEKEPE President Nikos Salata Costas Tsiaras stressing that the government wants plenty of light on the case.

As he initially said about the research: “The control currently is for the period 2020-2022 but cases, reports, complaints, have been there for more than 10 years.”

And noted: “We have a judicial investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Our intention is to have complete cleansing in OPECEPE, to spill plenty of light. “

Mr. Tsiaras continued by saying: “From the first moment that the prime minister assigned me the duties of the Minister of Rural Development, he set me a big challenge and told me what what The government’s political stakes is to clear the issue of OPECEPEbecause they were just these questions. “

“In agreement with the European Commissioner, with the Directorate General of the Rural Department of the European Commission, We draw an action plan that will transform OPEKEPE to one modern organization. OPEKEPE changes but there are some steps that are ongoing in the coming period in the management of the Information System, the management of the pasture maps and the intensification of controls. Are three different steps made by method »the minister pointed out.

For the removal of Mr Salata, he said that “It is not about whether it worked as it should be in OPECEPE. My point is that OPEKEPE worked in the best possible way but through this controversy against the European Public Prosecutor’s Officethere was the emission of a message error. The Greek Government wants to cooperate with the European Public Prosecutor’s Officewe want everything to come to light, we want to clarify everything and have absolutely no shadow. ”

“The organization that the Ministry of Rural Development would never is in a dispute with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office‘Mr. Tsiaras pointed out and noted that “I personally met with the European Prosecutor and his staff in Greece and we were able to discuss all OPECEPE issues and of course assure him that my intention and the government is to have cooperation.”

For the “monkey” farmers, the minister said some have been identified. “All the money they may have received illegally will be refunded”he stressed.

Kostas Tsiaras also noted that OPECEPE distributes over 3 billion eurosof which 2.3-2.4 billion go to 680,000 VAT and that “this is all about society, as it is not a matter of a party or a government.”

He pointed out, in fact, that “The real danger is to prove that there were major problems – or worse, that there was no political will to deal with them.”

The minister, finally, announced that it is launched Change in ELGA Regulationwith the aim of fair and faster compensation of farmers: “We will attempt to change the ELGA regulation. We need to get out of chronic anchors that afflict the producer and move on to a more functional and flexible model. “he said.