The Greek Parliament has voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of 13 New Democracy lawmakers, clearing the path for potential criminal proceedings in the widening OPEKEPE agricultural subsidy scandal.
Of the 297 eligible members, 288 participated in the vote. Nine were absent, including former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and New Democracy lawmaker Notis Mitarakis, who left the chamber immediately after addressing parliament. Absences were also recorded among members of the opposition Syriz party and independent ranks.
Aikaterini Papakosta received the highest vote in favor of immunity removal, with 287 votes. Ten other lawmakers each received 286 affirmative votes. Kostas Tsiaras and Charalambos Athanasiou each received 285 votes in favor.
The two consistent dissenting votes across nearly all 13 cases came from independent lawmaker Konstantinos Floros and Mrs. Papakosta herself — who voted to lift her own immunity but cast a vote against removing the protection of her 12 colleagues.
Mr. Athanasiou recorded a formal "present" vote on his own case, while Mr. Tsiaras chose to abstain from the ballot concerning his own immunity.
The lopsided result reflects a cross-party consensus that the lawmakers should face judicial scrutiny, and follows weeks of political turbulence triggered by the OPEKEPE case, in which allegations of improper interference in EU agricultural subsidy payments implicated multiple ruling party figures. All 13 had previously stated publicly they welcomed the lifting of their immunity and would cooperate fully with investigators.
The case now moves to prosecutors, who will determine whether formal charges are warranted.