Top EU Prosecutor Calls Out Corruption in Greece

Dear Member,

This is our weekly roundup from Greece. 

Israel’s raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla has led to rising tensions as four Greek vessels are among those attacked. A Greek MP, Peti Perka, is one of the flotilla members who have been abducted by the Israeli army, and their whereabouts are unknown. 

The opposition has accused the government of inaction, with four parties issuing a rare joint statement condemning the Israeli intervention.

At the same time, Panos Routsis, father of a Tempi train crash victim, enters his 19th day on hunger strike, raising growing concern - even within the ruling party.

European Prosecutor Laura Kövesi visited Greece this week, calling for stronger safeguards of the rule of law against corruption and political interference.

Twenty-seven Greek citizens were abducted by Israel. 

Israeli forces took control of several vessels part of the humanitarian Global Samud Flotilla on Wednesday night. The flotilla, comprising more than 40 boats, had been attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and had garnered global attention as one of the biggest naval aid missions to the Palestinian enclave, Al Jazeera reported (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre).

Four Greek boats were among those reportedly (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) intercepted: Oxygono, Pavlos Fyssas, Vangelis Pissias, and Ahed Tamimi. The seven passengers of Oxygono have been reportedl (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)y arrested by Israeli forces - including Greek MP of Nea Aristera Peti Perka, activist Iasonas Apostolopoulos, and academic Kleoniki Alexopoulou. 

Israel’s raid against the Global Samud Flotilla is a clear violation of international law, since it took place in the Mediterranean Sea between 70-80 nautical miles off the Gaza coast - that is, in international waters where international law recognises high seas freedom of navigation for all vessels, experts argue (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre). 

The Greek Foreign Ministry stated (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) that the 27 Greek citizens aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza are in good health, with “no reports of violence against them.” While refraining from comment on the alleged violation of international law, the ministry said it had been informed by Israel that the flotilla’s vessels are being escorted to Ashdod, where passengers will undergo registration and deportation procedures. It noted that démarches have been made to Israeli authorities, stressing the need to safeguard the Greek participants.

The previous day, Greece and Italy had issued a joint statement (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre), urging Israel to guarantee the safety of the flotilla participants. The two countries called on flotilla members to accept the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s offer to deliver the aid safely and praised Trump’s diplomatic initiative as a chance to end the conflict.

However, as the devil lies in the details, there was a key statement by Greek Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lana Zohiou, on Thursday, which has received very little publicity. 

When asked if the incident with the Global Sumud Flotilla would affect the Greek-Israeli relations, Zohou replied (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre): “We have a strategic partnership relationship with Israel, which we want to maintain.” 

Greek opposition parties condemned Israel’s raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla and accused (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) the government of failing to protect the mission.

Nea Aristera’s leader Alexis Haritsis denounced the attack as “terrorist and piratical,” stressing that 500 people from over 40 countries “have been abducted” — including 27 Greeks. “Our parliamentary group’s secretary, Peti Perka, was a member onboard at Oxygono” he emphasised. “I repeat: a member of the Greek Parliament has been abducted, and at this very moment her fate is unknown.” He demanded immediate government action to secure their release.

PASOK-KINAL’s Pavlos Christidis called for clarity on the whereabouts of the detained Greeks and guaranteed their safety, warning of possible violations of international maritime law. The Communist Party (KKE) condemned what it termed a “pirate attack by the murderous state of Israel,” while SYRIZA’s Christos Giannoulis stressed the need for a strong humanitarian stance, warning that the situation “goes beyond the limits of genocide.”

In a rare move, four Greek parliamentary parties— PASOK, SYRIZA, New Left, and Course of Freedom —issued a joint statement on Friday, calling on the government to take all necessary steps to secure the immediate release and safe return of the 27 Greek citizens participating in the flotilla.

The statement reads (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre):

“The attack by the Israeli military on the Global Sumud Flotilla yesterday at dawn, in international waters, constitutes a violation of International Law and the Law of the Sea.

The mission’s vessels have been seized by Israeli forces, and the whereabouts of the passengers and crews -including 27 Greek citizens- remain unknown. Among them is a member of the Hellenic Parliament, New Left MP Peti Perka.

We explicitly condemn the attack by Israel’s armed forces on the solidarity flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and call on the Greek government to take all necessary steps to ensure the immediate release and safe return of the 27 Greek citizens to our country.”

Demonstrations were swiftly called following the Israeli raid- and took place (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) in Athens on Wednesday night, Thursday morning, and evening. 

A handful of Greek media outlets had issued on Wednesday a joint statement of solidarity (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) with the Global Sumud Flotilla, emphasising that the flotilla represents a call to conscience, bringing “attention to the ongoing genocide, broadcast in real time, and the policy of apartheid imposed against the Palestinian people.” They called on the Greek government to finally rise to the occasion and take all necessary safety measures for the flotilla’s arrival at Gaza - “against the fake news claiming alleged ties between the Global Sumud Flotilla and Hamas.”

Ahead of possible arrest by Israeli forces along with the crew of the sailboat Pavlos Fyssas, Greek university professor and activist Takis Politis had sent a message (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) to relatives stating he would begin a hunger strike in solidarity with the Palestinian people — “who, while being killed by weapons and famine, are also denied the minimal food aid we carry.” At present, the Pavlos Fyssas is believed to have been intercepted by the Israeli military.

Hunger striker weakened, but decided to go all the way 

Panos Routsi, father of the victim of the Tempi train disaster, Deni, entered on Friday the 19th day of his hunger strike and was examined (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)at Nikaia General Hospital following urgent medical advice. According to the official medical bulletin, Routsi has already lost nearly 9% of his body weight (10 kilos), suffers from extreme fatigue, drowsiness, hypoglycemic episodes, numbness in his lower limbs, orthostatic hypotension, and tachycardia upon standing. Doctors warn that his pre-existing conditions -including hypertension, arrhythmia, peripheral angiopathy, and sleep apnea- place him at even greater risk of severe complications.

Despite the deteriorating state of his health, Routsis has refused hospitalisation and returned to Syntagma Square outside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The medical team that examined him stresses that his demand -the exhumation of his son for proper identification and toxicological tests- is fully legal and constitutionally guaranteed. They issue an urgent appeal to the government and judicial authorities to grant his request without delay, as he insists he will not end his hunger strike until it is met.

Until the moment these lines were written, Prime Minister Mitsotakis had not made any statement on the matter. 

Meanwhile, the hunger strike has caused rifts inside the governing party. 

Minister Nikos Dendias broke ranks (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre), saying he “cannot imagine how a father can be denied the right to investigate his child’s death in any way he deems necessary.” Other ND MPs, including Dimitris Markopoulos and Dimitris Kalogeropoulos, have also urged the judiciary to grant Routsis’ request, warning against “further mistakes” as his health deteriorates. On the other hand, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has accused Routsis’ lawyer Zoe Konstantopoulou and his doctors of politically manipulating him into refusing state medical care.

Behind the scenes, ND lawmakers worry that irreversible damage to Routsis’ health could trigger public outrage and protests, with some fearing “Athens could burn,” News 247 reported (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre). Georgiadis’ combative rhetoric has fueled discontent within the party, while government spokesman Marinakis carefully distanced himself, stressing respect for a grieving father but rejecting any political interference in judicial decisions. He also ruled out legislative intervention, insisting Greece “will not become a banana republic.” 

Greece has surely sunk to a new low when even a grieving father’s sacred plea is denied the respect it deserves.

“Financial crime can kill. Tempi is such a case.” 

European chief prosecutor Laura Kovessi delivered a stern message to the Greek government during her visit to Athens. During a press conference on Thursday (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre), she called for constitutional reform, stronger anti-corruption measures, and decisive action against organised crime.

Kovessi focused on Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, which she described as an “obstruction to justice” and as contradicting European law. She urged Greek lawmakers to amend the provision, warning: “Change the Constitution and this won’t happen again.” Kovessi stressed that without such reform, prosecutions of political figures remain blocked under national law. This concerns the OPEKEPE agricultural subsidies scandal and Contract 717, relating to the Tempi disaster. 

→ Corruption and Accountability

Kovessi addressed criticism that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) targets the Greek government. She rejected these claims as “fake news”, insisting the EPPO operates independently and under strict oversight from Luxembourg. She emphasised: “Justice is not a reality show. If you want to help, do not put witnesses on television.”

She described the OPEKEPE agricultural subsidy case as emblematic of systemic corruption. “For years, criminals aided by public officials were stealing European money aimed at helping farmers, not paying for villas and cars. OPEKEPE became an acronym for calling for ‘cleaning the Augean stables.’” 

→ Operation Calypso and organised crime

Kovessi identified Operation Calypso, a major customs fraud investigation, as a key reason for her visit. She revealed that it is among the largest seizures in Europe - thousands of containers worth €250 million - and warned criminal networks: “The rules of the game have changed; there is no refuge for you.” She stressed the operation exposes a growing field of organised crime, particularly involving groups from third countries, notably China, and called for coordinated action across the EU.

→ On Tempi

Referring to the Tempi rail tragedy and the related contract 717 case, Kovessi described the legal process as hindered by Article 86, expressing deep regret: “The only way to heal the wound is if justice succeeds. But this has not happened due to Article 86.” She expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

Perhaps Laura Kovesi’s most important quote at the press conference was this: “Financial crime can kill. Tempi is one of these cases.”

Read

Greece labour law protests bring public transport to a halt (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Poll: 70% of Greeks believe the government is “corrupt” (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Greece faces deadline over delayed farm payments (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Wealth Declarations: How Rich Are Greece’s Politicians? (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Police officer abducts, beats Greek citizen; he mistook him for “illegal migrant” (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Extreme impoverishment and marginalization of people with disabilities in Greece (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

This year thousands of mysterious earthquakes hit Santorini. Scientists finally know why. (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

ΝΑΤΟ allies pressure Greece to transfer mirage jets to Ukraine (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Rare early October snow blankets Greece’s mountains (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Greek Beef Prices Soar As Imports Dominate Supply (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Greece: Electricity Prices Set to Rise in October (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Greece’s Forests: Untapped Wealth or Wasted Potential? (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Greek Schools Still Unsafe for LGBTQI+ Children (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Water scarcity in Greece: Lake Mornos loses half its size in 4 years (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Walking the restored stone paths of Tsagarada in Pilio (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Walking Through Athens: A Cultural Journey Beyond the Classics (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Discovering Archaeology in the Athens Metro (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

Listen

Orthodoxy or death: The fight for Mount Athos (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)

That’s all for this week; please forward this email to anyone you think might find it interesting and ask them to join our international community! 

The AL team