OPEKEPE: Varras Document 'Lost' in Ministry of Rural Development

Political debate intensifies regarding a document from the former president of OPEKEPE, Mr. Varras, to the then Minister of Rural Development, Makis Voridis, concerning the increase in livestock and pastures in Crete in 2020.

Sources from Mr. Voridis' environment state that the document (Ref. No. 47425/27.7.2020) was sent via email to the Ministry's general registry and was essentially 'ignored,' while Mr. Varras himself reportedly forgot its existence.

According to the same sources, Mr. Voridis took measures for the 2020 allocation following a proposal from the OPEKEPE administration under Fanis Papas. The measures included:

1. Commencement of livestock farming before May 31 of the application year.
2. Use of a spatial unit coefficient for farmers receiving pasture land for the first time.
3. Maximum allocation of 20 hectares to producers without basic support rights in PE1 (pastures) in areas with excessive increase (Crete).

Associates of Mr. Voridis express concern that the document appeared after five months of investigative proceedings and testimonies, while Mr. Varras had not mentioned it in his testimony to the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee.

Ms. Athanasia Reppa, former Director of Technical Controls of OPEKEPE, testified that the services requested Varras to convey the issue to the minister, but there was no result until September 2020.