Greece’s parliament voted overwhelmingly on 22 April 2026 to strip parliamentary immunity from 13 lawmakers, primarily from the ruling New Democracy party, following requests from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and Greek prosecutors probing alleged misuse of millions of euros in EU agricultural subsidies. The move marks a significant escalation in a scandal rocking Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s conservative government, with investigations revealing organised fraud schemes diverting farm payments over years, prompting resignations and urgent calls for swift probes.
Key Developments in the Vote
The parliamentary vote on 22 April 2026 represented the culmination of months of procedural steps triggered by the EPPO’s initial request in late March 2026. As per the AFP/NAMPA dispatch from 22 April 2026,
“Greece’s parliament on Wednesday will vote on lifting the immunity of 13 lawmakers, a move demanded by European and Greek prosecutors investigating how millions of euros in EU farm subsidies were siphoned off.”
This followed the ethics committee’s unanimous endorsement, clearing the path for the plenary session expected after 19 April, as noted by Euronews on 7 April 2026.
Georgios Georgantas, Parliament Vice President, played a pivotal role in announcing the outcome. Courthouse News Service quoted him directly:
“Parliament Vice President Georgios Georgantas said lawmakers had overwhelmingly voted to lift the immunity of 13 lawmakers from the ruling party.”
The figure of 13 appears in later updates, up from the initial 11 cited by the EPPO, incorporating additional Greek prosecutorial requests.
All 11 initial MPs from New Democracy had reportedly requested the lifting of their immunity themselves, according to Euronews, signalling an attempt to expedite proceedings and demonstrate transparency. YouTube coverage from Euronews on 7 April 2026 (uploaded around 6 April) captured the ethics committee’s decision:
“The Greek Parliament’s ethics committee unanimously recommended lifting the immunity of 11 lawmakers whose names appear in a case file submitted by the European prosecutor as part of its investigation into a farm subsidy scandal.”
Kostas Tsiaras, former Rural Development Minister, and Notis Mitarakis, MP, personally addressed the committee, while the remaining nine opted for written submissions.
Background on the EPPO Investigation
The probe originated with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which confirmed submitting an official request to the Greek parliament. Novinite.com’s 1 April 2026 report, under the headline “EU Prosecutor Moves to Strip Immunity of 11 Greek MPs,” stated:
“The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has formally requested that the immunity of 11 Greek members of parliament be lifted as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misuse of EU agricultural subsidies.”
The MPs are suspected of connections to a scheme diverting “millions of euros in farm payments over an extended period.”
This investigation forms part of a larger EU-wide effort to combat subsidy fraud. The EPPO’s involvement underscores the cross-border nature of the alleged crimes, with funds meant for Greek farmers allegedly rerouted through organised networks. As Novinite.com elaborated, the request aims to
“enabl[e] further legal proceedings as part of the broader investigation into suspected organised fraud involving EU subsidies.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged a swift EU probe, according to Euronews headlines compiled in their 7 April 2026 article. This reflects mounting pressure on his government, as “politicians belonging to the New Democracy ruling party have been increasingly ensnared in the scandal,” per AFP/NAMPA.
Involved Lawmakers and Party Ties
The implicated MPs hail predominantly from New Democracy, the conservative party in power. Euronews specified on 7 April 2026:
“All 11 MPs from the ruling New Democracy party had requested the lifting of their immunity.”
Key figures include Kostas Tsiaras, who served as Rural Development Minister, and Notis Mitarakis, both of whom testified in person before the ethics committee.
The scandal’s reach extended to government levels, with Euronews noting related headlines like
“Three members of Greek government quit over EU farm subsidy scandal, state TV says.”
While specific names of the three were not detailed in available reports, their resignations highlight the political fallout.
Novinite.com confirmed the ruling party’s dominance among the suspects:
“The MPs are suspected of being linked to a scheme,”
with the EPPO targeting 11 initially.
Political and Legal Ramifications
The immunity lift paves the way for criminal charges and potential trials, intensifying scrutiny on New Democracy. AFP/NAMPA described the scandal as “rocking the conservative government,” with the vote occurring amid heightened tensions.
This development echoes prior Greek parliamentary immunity cases but stands out due to the EU dimension. For context, unrelated older cases like the 2024 far-right Spartans MPs (involving 11 lawmakers accused of deceiving voters under jailed politician Ilias Kasidiaris’s influence) illustrate Greece’s recurring immunity debates, though distinct from this subsidy probe. The Straits Times reported in 2024:
“Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor has said charges should be brought against 11 far-right lawmakers,”
with resignations like Ioannis Dimitrokallis’s, who stated,
“the criminal charge brought against me has made me unrightfully accountable to judicial authorities over the crime of deceiving voters following the untrue, false and defamatory statements by V. Stigas.”
In the current affair, the EPPO’s persistence signals serious intent. Novinite.com noted the office
“confirmed that it has submitted an official request to the Greek parliament to lift immunity protections.”
Broader EU and Greek Context
The farm subsidy scandal intersects with other Greek rule-of-law issues, such as the “Predatorgate” spyware convictions debated by MEPs. Europarl.europa.eu reported on 4 March 2026:
“On 26 February 2026, four individuals—two Greeks and two Israelis—were sentenced to 126 years and 8 months in prison each for violating the confidentiality of telephone communications and illegally accessing personal data and conversations. The sentences have been suspended pending an appeal.”
A prosecutor ordered further espionage probes, citing potential foreign state collaboration.
While separate, these events amplify concerns over governance in Greece. Mitsotakis’s call for a “swift EU probe,” as headlined by Euronews, aims to contain damage.
Reactions and Next Steps
Lawmakers’ cooperation, including personal appearances by Tsiaras and Mitarakis, suggests a strategy to affirm innocence. The ethics committee’s unanimity, per YouTube/Euronews transcripts, indicates cross-party consensus:
“unanimously recommended lifting the immunity of 11 lawmakers.”
Post-vote, prosecutors can proceed unimpeded. Georgantas’s announcement underscores the decisive margin, though exact vote tallies remain unreported in sources.
The government faces ongoing pressure, with resignations and EPPO scrutiny likely to dominate headlines. As the investigation unfolds, further revelations could emerge on the fraud’s scale and networks.
