EU seeks lifting of Greek lawmakers' immunity over farm aid fraud

ATHENS, April 1 (Reuters) - The European ‌Chief Prosecutor on ​Wednesday asked ​Greece to lift the immunity of 11 lawmakers to allow an investigation into their role in a farm aid fraud scandal which has sparked political resignations ‌and drawn a hefty EU fine.

European prosecutors last year charged dozens of Greek ⁠stockbreeders for faking ownership of pastureland and livestock to receive millions of euros in EU financial aid.

The EU ‌in June also fined Greece 392 ‌million euros ($455 million) over the OPEKEPE agency's mismanagement of the subsidies between 2016 and 2023. The agency handles more than 2 billion euros in annual EU farm aid.

A ​minister and four senior officials of the centre-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have resigned over their alleged role in the scandal, which has led to a parliamentary ⁠probe.

LIFTING LAWMAKERS' IMMUNITY TO ALLOW PROBE TO PROCEED

In a new development on Wednesday, the European Chief Prosecutor asked the Greek ​parliament to lift the immunity of 11 active lawmakers, enabling it to progress with the investigation and "to establish the facts, while searching for inculpatory ​as well as exculpatory evidence," the prosecutor's office said.

A ‌source close to the investigation said the lawmakers were members of the ruling, centre-right New Democracy party.

The Prosecutor did not name the lawmakers, ⁠adding that information was passed to parliament indicating possible involvement of a former rural development minister and his deputy.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is an independent office of the European Union.

The probe relates to ⁠alleged crimes against the EU's financial interests in 2021, including instigation of breach of trust, computer fraud and ​false attestation with the intent to obtain an unlawful benefit, the statement said.

The latest investigation could have political ramifications, as any ministers involved in the probe were likely to be replaced, analysts said.

Greek government ‌spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said EPPO's statement was "a serious development" and the government would assess each case once parliament receives the file.

A separate parliamentary ‌probe into the scandal wrapped up this year but ended in political deadlock due to competing findings ⁠by the political parties.

Several probes into ‌the alleged role of OPEKEPE ​officials remain ongoing, the prosecutor’s statement said.

($1 = 0.8610 euros)

(Reporting by Yannis Souliotis; Additional reporting Renee Maltezou; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Bernadette Baum and ‌Joe Bavier)

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