00:01The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Athens has brought charges against 22 defendants,
00:08including four sitting members of the Greek Parliament,
00:11as well as several former senior public officials and political figures,
00:15as part of an investigation into an alleged organized fraud ring involving the management of agricultural funds.
00:22Offenses involved incitement to breach of trust and incitement to the illegal management of European funds.
00:28The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced that it had closed the case against seven members of Parliament
00:35who had been under investigation, as no evidence of criminal acts was found.
00:40The European Public Prosecutor's Office brought five counts of breach of trust
00:44against the former president of the agency responsible for distributing agricultural subsidies,
00:50two counts of breach of trust against the former director-general of direct payments
00:55and charges of embezzlement and unlawful management of European Union funds
01:00against two of its former regional directors.
01:02Following the ruling's announcement, the Greek Prime Minister strongly criticized both the opposition
01:08and the European Public Prosecutor's Office,
01:11wondering who would now seek an apology from politicians who were smeared,
01:15but against whom no evidence ultimately emerged.
01:18He even remarked that the European Public Prosecutor's Office appeared to be involved in internal party rivalry.
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