OPECEPE’s inability to make ‘big change’ decisions as he is never in a ‘regularity’ reported by former Vice President of the Agency (3/2021-7/2022) Zenon Valmasin the context of his deposition with the House Inquiry Committee, which is investigating the case of the Payment System of Agricultural Aid. In what part of the chain, from the Reception Centers, the technical adviser to the farmer could a “eagle” be infiltrated? He was asked by majority rapporteur M. Lazaridis, with Mr Valma answering:

“I cannot answer you, in particular, about where there may be holes in a process that involved so many. What we have tried to do is, to have a cooperation with both the Ministry and the Veterinary Services of the Regions, as well as the technical adviser. […] The organization is in the center of an ecosystem with too many fine balances. It takes a lot of time to come up with a very good result, which does not have it, and […] He is never in a regularity, so that he can make such decisions of major changes, “Mr Valmas said.

The former Vice President of OPEKEPE said he had good professional cooperation with the then President of the Organization Mr. Mela but also with the relevant Ministers Mr. Lebanon and Mr. Georgandas. Asked by ND MP M. Lazaridis, if he received any pressure or if he had information “about the alleged existence of the circuit that managed illegal subsidies or the issuance of false VAT for agricultural subsidies” he replied negatively. As for the legality checks that were being carried out, he said he had no contact. In addition, to the question if he ever accepted, any form of pressure or interventions in his work by politicians, for his own decisions or suggestions, he said “No, I didn’t accept any pressure. “

Answer, then, to questions by the rapporteur of the minority Ev. Liakouli, about what he did when he got in his hands, as Vice President and Member of the OPECEPE Board of Directors, the file with the complaints, Mr Valmas reiterated that he had – among other things – dealing with more productive time -conservation issues for employees, due to under -staffing. In Mrs. Liakoulis’ reaction “So you were a parsley? It makes sense to say you don’t remember? “ Mr Valmas said he was Vice -President, that he was dealing with specific issues and that he said he did not remember as he spent some time.

Finally, on the issue of the technical consultant competition he said that then Minister of Rural Development, Sp. Lebanon wanted to have an open competition and to be able to come more companies.