- Since November 2024, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) had been demanding explanations from OPEKEPE’s then-president, Kyriakos Babasidis, regarding the removal of Paraskevi Tycheropoulou.
- DG AGRI called on the ministry to respond “as soon as possible” and gave a 30-day deadline.
By Vaggelis Triantis
Data Journalists have brought new information to light regarding the OPEKEPE scandal. The information concerns a damning letter sent in November 2024 from the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) of the European Commission to the Ministry of Rural Development.
In the letter, the Commission requests “explanations” from the Ministry of Rural Development regarding the decision to remove Paraskevi Tycheropoulou from her position as head of OPEKEPE’s Internal Audit Directorate. The letter also expresses concerns about whether OPEKEPE’s internal audit service was operating in accordance with European Regulation 2022/127.
In the letter, DG AGRI requested that the Ministry of Rural Development provide all the necessary information “as soon as possible” and within one month. The Ministry responded in writing by forwarding a reply letter from Kyriakos Babasidis, the then-president of OPEKEPE, in which he explained the reasons for Tycheropoulou’s removal. It is unclear whether DG AGRI found Babasidis’s response convincing. What is certain is that the European prosecutors investigating the OPEKEPE scandal seem to have a rather different view.
On November 8, 2024, the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) of the European Commission sent a two-page letter to the Ministry of Rural Development. The letter concerned the removal of Paraskevi Tycheropoulou from her position as head of OPEKEPE’s Internal Audit Directorate. Tycheropoulou is the OPEKEPE employee who exposed illegalities and violations regarding the agency’s subsidies. This resulted in her becoming a target of the administration, facing relentless opposition, including disciplinary proceedings and legal complaints.
The decision to remove her was made in October 2024 by the then-administration under President Kyriakos Babasidis. According to documents posted on Diavgeia, the reason for her dismissal was cited as “professional incompetence.”
Why was Tycheropoulou replaced?
The European Commission document published by Data Journalists was titled “Compliance of the Greek Paying Agency GR01, the Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid (OPEKEPE), with the Accreditation Criteria Set Out in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127.”
As stated in the document, “The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) closely monitors the measures taken by the Greek authorities within the framework of the accreditation plan to address the identified deficiencies regarding the Paying Agency’s (OPEKEPE) compliance with the accreditation criteria.”
The document specifically referenced the replacement of Paraskevi Tycheropoulou as Head of OPEKEPE’s Internal Audit Directorate. During this time, some OPEKEPE employees reportedly decided to lock up the filing cabinet containing official documents in her office, as noted in contemporary reports.
“The recent publication of the decision by the Board of Directors of the Paying Agency to replace the Head of the Internal Audit Directorate of OPEKEPE on October 14, 2024, has come to the attention of the Commission. According to the publication, the decision was made due to concerns about potential impairment of independence or objectivity (Standard 1130 of the Institute of Internal Auditors) and professional incompetence under Article 47, paragraph 1(b) of OPEKEPE’s Staff Regulations,” the letter from DG AGRI initially stated.
However, the letter immediately linked the dismissal decision to “an ongoing criminal investigation into irregularities involving public pastures.”
The European Commission’s letter to the Ministry of Rural Development requesting explanations for Tycheropoulou’s removal
The letter stated in more detail:
“According to various press articles and social media posts, the former Head of the Internal Audit Directorate filed an appeal against this decision, while the Paying Agency also initiated legal proceedings following its decision to remove the Head of the Internal Audit Directorate. Furthermore, these press articles suggest a possible connection between this Board of Directors’ decision and an alleged ongoing criminal investigation into irregularities related to public pastures.”
Provide all information within a month
In this context, the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) called on the Ministry of Rural Development to provide “all information” regarding the “dismissal” of Ms. Tycheropoulou, as well as “the measures being taken to ensure the proper functioning of the Internal Audit Service’s procedures” in accordance with the provisions of European Regulation 2022/127. DG AGRI further urged the Ministry of Rural Development to respond “as soon as possible,” setting a one-month deadline.
“In light of these developments, the competent authority is called upon to provide DG AGRI with all relevant information regarding the above, particularly concerning the dismissal of the Head of the Internal Audit Directorate and the measures being taken to ensure the proper functioning of the Paying Agency’s internal audit procedures, as described in the accreditation criteria of paragraphs 4(B)(i), (ii), and (iii) of Annex I of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/127. Please respond to this letter in the Greek language as soon as possible and no later than one month from the date of receipt. These points will be discussed during the mission scheduled from December 4 to 6,” the DG AGRI letter emphasized.
The European Regulation and the Commission’s Concerns
On December 7, 2021, European Regulation 2022/127 was issued to “supplement Regulation (EU) 2021/2116 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules for paying agencies and other bodies, financial management, account settlement, guarantees, and the use of the euro.”
Among other provisions, the Regulation requires “separate assessments through the Internal Audit Service.” Specifically, it states that the Paying Agency must establish procedures to comply with a set of rules. The Internal Audit Service is independent from the other departments of the Paying Agency and reports directly to the agency’s director. The Internal Audit Service verifies that the procedures established by the paying agency are adequate to ensure compliance with Union rules, and that accounts are accurate, complete, and prepared in a timely manner. The work of the Internal Audit Service is carried out in accordance with internationally accepted standards, documented in working papers, and leads to the preparation of reports and recommendations addressed to the senior management of the paying agency. Given this, it is understandable why DG AGRI of the Commission demanded explanations from the Ministry of Rural Development regarding the dismissal of Paraskevi Tycheropoulou.
The European Regulation cited by DG AGRI in the Letter
Response from the Ministry of Rural Development
A few days later, the Ministry sent a reply letter to the Commission. The letter was from Kyriakos Babasidis to the Ministry’s Secretary-General, Konstantinos Baginetas. In it, Mr. Babasidis attempted to justify the “persecution” of Ms. Tycheropoulou, placing almost full responsibility on her for what was happening at OPEKEPE.
As stated, Ms. Tycheropoulou was replaced because she allegedly approved €52.328 million in erroneous subsidies in 2022. However, the former OPEKEPE auditor denies that it was her mistake.
Furthermore, Mr. Babasidis noted in the letter that Ms. Tycheropoulou was absent from OPEKEPE from January to October 2024 and only appeared in person for 87 days. During that period, however, Ms. Tycheropoulou collaborated as a scientific associate with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, justifying some of her absences. Mr. Babasidis did not mention this fact in the letter, even though it is of critical importance.
Mr. Babasidis also sought to separate Ms. Tycheropoulou’s dismissal from the criminal investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“We wish to inform you that there is no connection between the decision of the Board of Directors and any ongoing criminal investigation. The position of Head of the Internal Audit Directorate, as well as the positions of the employees of that Directorate, is incompatible with the investigation of fraud cases pursuant to Law 4795/2021, Article 20, paragraph 2. This law governs the operation of internal auditors in Greece’s public services,” the letter emphasized, among other points.
Mr. Babasidis’s response to the Commission
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office holds a different view
It is unclear if Babasidis’s response convinced DG AGRI about the Tycheropoulou case. However, the European prosecutors investigating the OPEKEPE scandal seem to have a different opinion. This is evident in their proposal to the 10th Permanent Chamber of the Office to refer the case to the national authorities.
Specifically, the proposal refers to disciplinary proceedings taken against OPEKEPE employees, which the prosecutors link to their “audit activities.”
“It has become apparent that disciplinary proceedings and other legal measures initiated or facilitated by OPEKEPE against employees may be linked to their previous audit activities performed in the course of their duties and may be coordinated by the same group of individuals under investigation,” the report emphasizes.
It should be noted that Data Journalists have reported on the “persecutions” Ms. Tycheropoulou has faced since April 2025. These include three disciplinary proceedings initiated by OPEKEPE administrations against her, as well as a criminal complaint filed for the alleged misappropriation of documents. According to Data Journalists, these were official documents found in her personal OPEKEPE office, raising questions about whether misappropriation had truly occurred. OPEKEPE administrations’ stance toward an employee who uncovered irregularities—leading to the prosecution and first-instance conviction of those involved—is remarkable.
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