ND official resigns amid allegations tied to farm subsidy probe
Kalliopi Semertzidou, New Democracy’s coordinator for EU funds and women’s entrepreneurship, has resigned from her post following reports linking her and her husband to an unfolding investigation into alleged farm subsidy fraud involving the OPEKEPE agency.
Semertzidou, who denies all allegations, submitted her resignation in a letter addressed to New Democracy Secretary Kostas Skrekas, which she also posted on her Instagram account.
“Recently, my family and I have been the target of an unjust and targeted attack, fueled by false and defamatory reports on social media and in the press,” Semertzidou stated in her letter.
She emphasized that neither she nor her family are involved in any ongoing case under investigation by the Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority, adding that her resignation is aimed at shielding the party from politically motivated attacks.
Despite stepping down, Semertzidou expressed her continued support for New Democracy, stating that she remains committed as an active member of the party.
The resignation follows a raid conducted by Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority on OPEKEPE (the Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid) offices earlier this week.
According to reports, Semertzidou, her husband, and other family members allegedly received approximately €2.5 million in subsidies from OPEKEPE over the past five years.
The case is part of a broader investigation into the misuse of EU agricultural funds, a matter that has triggered scrutiny from national and European authorities.
