Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has launched a fresh attack against European Prosecutor Popi Papandreou, in relation to case files connected to the OPEKEPE scandal.
Speaking on Action24, he questioned the manner in which the prosecutor is handling the case, referring to what he described as unacceptable leaks dating back to last autumn, and raising concerns over the piecemeal submission of case files to Parliament.
He argued that such practices are inconsistent with the standards of a serious institution and suggested that political motives may lie behind the actions of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Georgiadis also stated that after reviewing the case file, he contacted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to express doubts about its credibility, claiming the material lacked substance.
“What does it mean to submit case files to Parliament in instalments?” he asked, adding that when he examined the file, he told the Prime Minister: “Something is not right here — this is not a serious case file.”
He further claimed that no charges would ultimately arise from the investigation and described the process as insulting to Parliament.
“The Papandreou is blackmailing over the renewal of her term. You will see that in the end she will close the cases herself. Otherwise, she is incompetent,” the minister said.
However, it has been noted that Papandreou’s term had already been renewed in November 2025 for a further five years, following a unanimous decision by the College of European Prosecutors.
PASOK responds
PASOK criticised Georgiadis’ remarks, accusing the government of adopting a strategy of polarisation and toxicity in order to remain in power.
Party spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas stated that the Prime Minister was “in a state of panic” and had instructed Georgiadis to attack the judiciary in an inappropriate manner, even going so far as to target the European Prosecutor with false claims.
He added that the minister deliberately omitted the fact that Papandreou’s term had already been renewed, in an effort to support a government narrative suggesting that the repeated case files sent to Parliament were not the result of corruption investigations, but part of a supposed scheme.
“They neither trust nor respect the judiciary. They cannot tolerate justice and accountability,” Tsoukalas said, adding that “they choose fanaticism and toxicity to cling to power.”
