Greek State moves to join prosecution in Skrekas OPEKEPE trial, adjourned to 23 November

The Greek State moves to join the prosecution

At the hearing in the trial of New Democracy MP Kostas Skrekas and five co-defendants over illegal farm subsidies paid through OPEKEPE, the Greek agricultural payments agency, the Greek State declared intervention in support of the prosecution. It acted through the State Legal Council (NSK), which had not taken that step in the trials of three other ruling-party MPs, Papakostas, Boukoros and Senetakis. The co-defendants include former OPEKEPE president Dimitris Melas and three more officials. Reports say the move caught the defendants off guard.

The NSK representative argued that the State had suffered property damage and moral harm. He said OPEKEPE exercises public power and administration, in line with settled Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) case law, and that its officials, the defendants, managed European Agricultural Guarantee Fund resources under the law. In the NSK's view, the defendants knowingly caused direct, certain and final damage to the fund's assets. Skrekas faces a charge of moral instigation of breach of trust against the financial interests of the European Union.

Prosecutor and defence object

The European Prosecutor, Popi Papandreou, asked the court to reject the State's declaration. She argued that the damage falls on the financial interests of the European Union rather than on the Greek State.

“The direct damage concerns the financial interests of the European Union and not the Greek State.”

The defence argued that the money comes from European resources and that OPEKEPE held a purely managerial role, so it was not the body that suffered the direct loss. One defence lawyer said the team had received a document from the Greek State that it needed to study before responding. For now, the defence stated its clear opposition to the declaration. It also argued that any third party suffering indirect loss would have to be examined and answered.

Adjournment to 23 November

Two defendants asked for a postponement, but the court did not accept the request. The presiding judge said that if any issue arose, it would be handled through an adjournment. The hearing was set for 23 November 2026, when the court will announce whether it accepts the Greek State's declaration of intervention. Skrekas and Melas sat in the dock during the session, according to reports.