ND Report on OPEKEPE: No Criminal Responsibilities for Voridis and Avgenakis
A parliamentary committee found no criminal liability for former ministers Voridis and Avgenakis regarding the OPEKEPE organization, attributing identified issues to long-standing, cross-party practices.
The examining committee for the OPEKEPE organization concluded that there are no criminal responsibilities attached to former Greek ministers Michalis Voridis and Lefteris Avgenakis, according to members of the ruling New Democracy party involved in the inquiry. The report emphasizes that the issues identified within the organization are not merely incidental but are long-standing, cross-party challenges that have persisted over time, implicating multiple political stakeholders beyond the current administration.
Additionally, the committee highlighted that the period of governance under the leftist party SYRIZA involved significant mismanagement concerning the implementation of what has been termed the "technical solution." This suggests that the failures observed might not solely rest with the current or previous ministers but have roots in broader systemic issues associated with clientelistic practices. Noteworthy mentions in the report include connections to PASOK-Change Movement and its leader Nikos Androulakis, particularly referencing individuals linked to local political dynamics.
In defending its ministers, New Democracy asserted that Michalis Voridis never intervened in the conduct of audits nor sought to influence the release of specific tax identification numbers. Furthermore, the party pointed out that the implementation of the technical solution was adequately designed given the conditions as they existed until 2019, reinforcing the idea that the complexities of the OPEKEPE's operations are deeply intertwined with historical governance patterns rather than actions of isolated individuals.