2 former OPEKEPE officials convicted, sentenced in cover-up case

ekathimerini.comIndependentCenter17 hr. ago

An Athens court has convicted two former senior officials of the defunct Greek agricultural payments agency OPEKEPE, Dimitris Mellas and Athanasia Reppa, for covering up criminal activity and failing in their official duties. Both received sentences of five years and eight months but were released pending appeal. The court upgraded a charge of suppressing documents to a felony due to alleged financial damage exceeding €120,000 and referred the case to a higher court. Evidence presented during the trial highlighted a significant increase in reported grazing land in 2018, raising concerns about systematic fraud and misuse of EU funds. Internal audits conducted under previous leadership revealed issues that the court stated Mellas and Reppa failed to address despite being aware of them. The ruling sparked public outrage, with some calling the decision unjust. The court considered mitigating circumstances based on the defendants' prior lawful conduct, though one judge disagreed. Prosecutors argued that the defendants aided over 80 criminals for nearly two years, damaging Greece's reputation within the EU. Trial records will be sent to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for further

Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual account of a legal proceeding involving former officials of a government agency, detailing charges, court decisions, and the reasoning behind them. It includes perspectives from prosecutors, the court, and public reactions without overtly favoring one side. The framing

ekathimerini.comIndependentCenteryesterday

An 84-year-old woman in Pieria, northern Greece, was scammed out of over €50,000 in cash, jewelry, and gold sovereigns through a telephone fraud. The perpetrator impersonated an accounting firm employee, claiming the assets needed to be recorded to avoid a tax penalty. Police have identified three suspects—a 44-year-old woman who made the initial call and two men aged 33 and 44—who used a vehicle to collect the stolen items. No arrests have been made yet, but authorities are preparing a case file for submission to the public prosecutor in Katerini. The investigation is ongoing to determine if the suspects are linked to other similar fraud cases.

Bias read (Center): The article reports on a crime involving fraud against an individual, with no mention of political figures, policies, or ideological framing. It provides factual details about the incident, suspects, and police actions without apparent bias or subjective language.