Marinakis: No Cover-Up, Stable Governance

In an interview with Real News on Sunday, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis addressed the OPEKEPE subsidy scandal, stating that efforts have begun to recover unlawfully distributed funds. He emphasized the integration of the agency into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) to ensure transparency, CE Report quotes Athens-Macedonia

Rejecting claims of a cover-up, Marinakis noted that audits have been conducted on 30,000 tax numbers and over 5,200 individuals. “The government is seeking full clarification,” he stressed.

He ruled out early elections or changes to the electoral law, affirming that Greece has a stable government and a clear four-year mandate under the Prime Minister.

Ahead of the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Marinakis said the government has a €1.5 billion fiscal margin aimed at supporting the middle class and families.

Commenting on U.S. tariffs, he said Athens is monitoring EU-U.S. talks and hopes for a favorable resolution.

On marine parks, Marinakis called them a national strategic priority aligned with international law. He reiterated that the Turkiye-Libya memorandum “is null and void and unrecognized.”

Regarding migration, he said new measures have nearly eliminated irregular arrivals, underlining a strict policy: “For every undocumented migrant, the path is prison or return.”

Addressing water scarcity, Marinakis said it would be tackled with technology, reaffirming that “water will remain a public good.”