Kyriakos Babassidis and the OPEKEPE Board of Directors resign
Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, requested and accepted the resignation of the OPEKEPE administrator, Kyriakos Babassidis, and the entire board of directors, following a series of issues within the organization. These problems include mistakes in subsidy payments, notably the return of €53 million from 197,000 farmers due to errors in the 2022 payments.
Under pressure from the European Commission, which has placed the organization under supervision since May 2024, there were also allegations of illegal practices involving pastures, as well as internal misconduct, such as the removal of the head of Internal Audits from her office and records.
Babassidis' resignation comes amid widespread dissatisfaction with the management of OPEKEPE, as farmers face financial strain due to rising production costs and damage from events like the "Daniel" storm in Thessaly. Despite the leadership change, significant challenges remain.
