Greece reshuffles Cabinet after ministers resign over farm subsidy scandal

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his Cabinet Friday after three ministers resigned earlier in the day amid a widening farm subsidies scandal.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis announced the changes at a news conference, according to Kathimerini.

Rural Development Minister Kostas Tsiaras, Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis and Deputy Health Minister Dimitris Vartzopoulos stepped down ahead of the reshuffle.

Evangelos Tournas, a former deputy minister for climate crisis and civil protection, is expected to replace Kefalogiannis, while Margaritis Schinas, a former European Commission vice president, will succeed Tsiaras. Vartzopoulos’ duties will be redistributed within the Health Ministry.

The reshuffle follows a request by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday to lift the parliamentary immunity of 11 Greek lawmakers as part of an investigation into alleged organized fraud involving EU agricultural funds.

The probe centers on OPEKEPE, Greece’s agency responsible for distributing subsidies under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, which manages billions of euros annually.

Investigators have carried out raids on OPEKEPE offices and identified alleged involvement by agency officials, intermediaries and accountants in what authorities describe as systematic fraud and possible corruption.

The case has already had major repercussions. In June 2025, the EU imposed a record €392 million ($455 million) fine on Greece over oversight failures, triggering delayed payments and protests by farmers, and ultimately leading to the agency’s dissolution.

In October 2025, Greek police arrested 37 suspects nationwide in a large-scale operation targeting an organized criminal network linked to the case.

The scandal has fueled political fallout in Greece, prompting ministerial resignations, parliamentary inquiries and renewed debate over clientelism and governance.

Source: Anadolu Agency

--Agencies