Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his support for New Democracy lawmakers implicated in the OPEKEPE case during a meeting of the party’s parliamentary group.

He questioned the quality of the case file and criticized the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), arguing that prosecutors should ultimately be judged by the strength of the cases they bring before the courts.

The prime minister stressed that there was no intention to cover up illegal activity, while emphasizing the need to strengthen public administration through greater transparency and accountability regarding the role of members of parliament.

At the same time, Mitsotakis accused PASOK of hypocrisy over the constitutional revision process, claiming that the main opposition party was undermining both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.

“We are united.”

With those words, Kyriakos Mitsotakis concluded the discussion on the OPEKEPE case during the New Democracy parliamentary group meeting, sending a message of support to lawmakers whose names appeared in the judicial file.

“What happened to you could have happened to anyone,” the prime minister said, addressing both those whose cases had been dismissed and those who will still be required to provide explanations before the courts.

He also openly questioned why the cases that were eventually shelved had not been dismissed from the outset, arguing that “the evidence and the case file were extremely weak.”

Mitsotakis made it clear that there was no intention to conceal wrongdoing.

“We are obviously not here to cover up any illegal activity,” he said, adding, however, that this particular case was “completely different.”

He linked the issue to the broader question of defining the limits of MPs’ responsibilities and strengthening public administration so that parliamentary interventions are carried out with transparency and accountability.

Questions over the European Public Prosecutor’s Office

While adopting a measured tone regarding the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Mitsotakis nevertheless voiced clear reservations about its handling of the case.

“There is no turning back from this institution,” he said, referring to the EPPO, but added that there were legitimate questions about how it managed these specific investigations.

“Prosecutors are also judged by their results,” he said, stressing that “their job is to bring well-substantiated cases to trial,” adding that “judging by the outcome, that was clearly not done as it should have been.”

Criticism of PASOK over constitutional revision

The prime minister also criticized PASOK over the constitutional revision process, accusing the opposition party’s leadership of deliberately choosing not to participate meaningfully in the procedure.

He described PASOK’s stance as “hypocritical,” directing particular criticism at the party’s headquarters on Harilaou Trikoupi Street.

“By claiming that it is already counting on securing 180 MPs in the next Parliament, PASOK is violating both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution,” he said.

Twenty-six New Democracy MPs took the floor during the parliamentary group meeting.

Mitsotakis’ closing remarks

In his concluding speech, the prime minister said:

“First, regarding the constitutional revision process, I would once again like to thank my fellow MPs who participated so actively in the relevant committee, with genuine enthusiasm and excellent preparation. Very substantial work was carried out, but unfortunately it was undermined by the opposition’s decision, unlike in previous revision efforts, not to participate. I ask all colleagues to participate actively in the plenary debate, as this is an important opportunity to demonstrate both the significance of the constitutional revision and the qualitative difference in the way our party approached this process compared with the hypocritical stance adopted by all the other parties, led by PASOK.”

He argued that PASOK had the ability to help secure the required 180-vote majority in the current Parliament for those constitutional amendments it supports.

“By saying it is counting on 180 votes in the next Parliament, PASOK is violating both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.”

Turning to the OPEKEPE case, Mitsotakis thanked the MPs who spoke “with dignity, honesty, and, at times, understandable emotion.”

He referred both to lawmakers whose cases had been dismissed and to those who will have to defend themselves before the courts.

“A reasonable question arises as to why those cases could not have been dismissed from the beginning, when it was absolutely clear that both the evidence and the case file were extremely weak.”

He said he hoped the matter would be resolved quickly so the party could move on.

“We are united on this. What happened to you could have happened to anyone. We are obviously not here to cover up any illegality, but we are dealing with something fundamentally different.”

He added that the case raises broader questions about the proper role of MPs and the need to ensure that parliamentary interventions are carried out in a manner that guarantees transparency and accountability within public administration.

Regarding the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, he concluded:

“There is no turning back from this institution, but there are questions about the way these cases were handled. Prosecutors are judged by their results. Their job is to bring well-founded cases before the courts, and judging by the outcome, that did not happen as it should have.”

He closed by thanking the MPs once again and said he looked forward to continuing such discussions “with the same level of consistency and openness.”