“With a decisive regulation of the government of the New Democracy in December 2022, the granting of the National Reserve was linked for the first time to the existence of a real economic turnover from the sale of animal products, as the head of the Directorate of Rural Development and Fisheries of OPEKEPE, Aristea Volitaki, testified to the Investigative Committee of the Parliament” sources cite the ND and add: “Essentially, as she explained that the simple declaration of animals was no longer enough and moreover, the feed aid was paid in a corresponding way in January 2023. As she explained, this arrangement “significantly limited the virtual possession of animals” and allowed to support only really active livestock farmers. According to what he testified, this measure was an essential filter for direct aid, strengthening the transparency and fairness of the system.”

“In other words, Mrs. Volitaki’s testimony confirms that the measures taken to crack down on fake declarations were implemented by the ND government, at the time when the technical solution was applied to SYRIZA, while DAOK – as it has been revealed – had the responsibility of counting animals,” the ruling party’s sources emphasize.

“It is clear that those who today attempt to present a different image, forget that the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis early on tried to advance important reforms in an Organization that had chronic pathologies. In conclusion, while the opposition attempts to assign responsibility to the current government, the testimonies of the OPEKEPE executives completely discredit their narrative, proving that the New Democracy was the one that first tried to set rules of transparency and accountability in the agricultural sector” conclude the ND sources.

PASOK’s political impasses

“PASOK, trapped in its political impasses, has discovered “an attempt by the rapporteur of the New Democracy, Makarios Lazaridis, to slander Mr. Moschos Korassidis, representative of ETHEAS”” sources of the ruling party say again.

“New Democracy makes it clear to PASOK – KINAL, that most of the close associates of its president, Mr. Nikos Androulakis, are involved in the OPEKEPE case, that Mr. Korassidis does not need any slanderous efforts from anyone” emphasize the ND sources and add: “Mr. Korassidis himself admitted a few days ago his involvement in the OPEKEPE case amounting to 400,000 euros, giving advice to a law firm – by the way, there is a relevant email of his. The rest with PASOK – KINAL and Mr. Korassidis in the investigation committee” conclude the sources of New Democracy