Greek Government Calls for EU Farm Scandal Probe
Investigation into widespread abuse of funds at OPEKEPE, Greek authority for common agricultural policy aid.
The Greek government on Monday called for a special parliamentary committee to investigate a European Union farm subsidies scandal.
The scandal reportedly involves tens of millions of euros and has led to EU investigations into at least two ministers.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stated that the ruling conservative party would request an investigation into the 27-year operation of OPEKEPE, the Greek authority for the payment of common agricultural policy aid.
This period spans from 1998 to the present day, aiming to address dysfunctions, identify problems, and ensure complete transparency.
EU prosecutors have uncovered widespread abuse of funds at OPEKEPE, which annually distributes 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) to nearly 650,000 farmers.
Reports suggest that tens of millions of euros may have been siphoned off.
The investigation period primarily falls under the current government, which took office in July 2019.
However, the government argues that the fraud has lasted for decades.
In over 30 years, Greece's state has paid more than 2.7 billion euros in fines.
The ruling New Democracy party holds a significant majority in parliament, enabling them to establish the committee independently.
Last month, a minister who previously held the agriculture portfolio resigned following allegations by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office of the involvement of two former ministers from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's government in the misappropriation of EU funds.
Three junior ministers and another senior government official also submitted their resignations.
In May, investigators searched the Athens offices of OPEKEPE and seized documents and electronic equipment, indicating that a significant number of individuals had fraudulently obtained payment rights between 2019 and 2022, primarily by falsely claiming public land.
The scandal reportedly involves tens of millions of euros and has led to EU investigations into at least two ministers.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stated that the ruling conservative party would request an investigation into the 27-year operation of OPEKEPE, the Greek authority for the payment of common agricultural policy aid.
This period spans from 1998 to the present day, aiming to address dysfunctions, identify problems, and ensure complete transparency.
EU prosecutors have uncovered widespread abuse of funds at OPEKEPE, which annually distributes 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) to nearly 650,000 farmers.
Reports suggest that tens of millions of euros may have been siphoned off.
The investigation period primarily falls under the current government, which took office in July 2019.
However, the government argues that the fraud has lasted for decades.
In over 30 years, Greece's state has paid more than 2.7 billion euros in fines.
The ruling New Democracy party holds a significant majority in parliament, enabling them to establish the committee independently.
Last month, a minister who previously held the agriculture portfolio resigned following allegations by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office of the involvement of two former ministers from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's government in the misappropriation of EU funds.
Three junior ministers and another senior government official also submitted their resignations.
In May, investigators searched the Athens offices of OPEKEPE and seized documents and electronic equipment, indicating that a significant number of individuals had fraudulently obtained payment rights between 2019 and 2022, primarily by falsely claiming public land.
