Greece reshuffles Cabinet after ministers resign over farm subsidy scandal

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made changes to his Cabinet on Friday after three ministers resigned earlier that day due to a growing scandal over farm subsidies. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis shared the news during a press conference, according to Kathimerini. The ministers who stepped down include Rural Development Minister Kostas Tsiaras, Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis, and Deputy Health Minister Dimitris Vartzopoulos. Evangelos Tournas, who previously served as a deputy minister for climate crisis and civil protection, is set to take over Kefalogiannis’ role. Margaritis Schinas, a former vice president of the European Commission, will replace Tsiaras. Responsibilities of Vartzopoulos will be reassigned within the Health Ministry. This Cabinet reshuffle follows a request from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday to remove parliamentary immunity from 11 Greek lawmakers as part of an inquiry into alleged organized fraud with EU agricultural funds. The investigation focuses on OPEKEPE, Greece’s agency that handles the distribution of EU subsidies, which involves billions of euros each year. Authorities have conducted searches at OPEKEPE offices and found signs of involvement from agency officials, intermediaries, and accountants in what is described as widespread fraud and possible corruption. The situation has already led to significant consequences. In June 2025, the EU fined Greece a record €392 million ($455 million) for failing to oversee the funds properly, which caused delays in payments and farmer protests, ultimately resulting in the agency's closure. In October 2025, Greek police arrested 37 people across the country in a major operation targeting an organized crime network linked to the scandal.