Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched a fierce attack on the opposition and issued pointed criticism of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) following the dismissal of cases involving OPEKEPE, asking who would apologise to New Democracy officials who, he said, had been vilified for weeks as members of a “government of the accused”.

Speaking at a meeting of the Government Council for Economic Policy, the prime minister argued that the latest announcement by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office had restored the true picture of the case.

“The announcement by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office highlights the true scope and the full truth regarding OPEKEPE,” Mr Mitsotakis said.

He noted that 13 New Democracy ministers and MPs had been under investigation, with cases against nine of them now closed, while four other officials will face further investigation over misdemeanour offences.

“The nine have been proven completely innocent, and four more of our officials will face further investigation for minor misdemeanours,” he said.

The prime minister recalled that he had requested the resignation of three ministers on grounds of political sensitivity, referring to respected politicians who, he said, had been targeted and vilified before the courts had reached any verdict.

“Honourable politicians who were vilified for weeks, while some called us a ‘government of the accused’. Who will apologise today for those atrocities?” he asked.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused the opposition of failing to respect the presumption of innocence and of attempting to exploit the judicial investigation into the case for political purposes.

At the same time, he also levelled direct criticism at the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, claiming that “it appeared to have become involved in internal party rivalry”.

“This concerns not only the opposition in our country, which does not respect the presumption of innocence, but unfortunately also the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which appeared to be involved in internal party rivalry,” the prime minister concluded.