Greek ‘Farm Fraud’: EU Targets 11 MPs and Two Former Ministers

Farmers during a caller objection astatine the Greek Parliament. Credit: AMNA

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) formally requested connected Wednesday that the Hellenic Parliament assistance the immunity of 11 sitting MPs investigated successful the workplace subsidy scandal.

EPPO said that 5 erstwhile Members of Parliament are besides nether investigation. In parallel, it has referred to the Hellenic Parliament accusation regarding alleged engagement of a erstwhile Minister and a Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food.

The probe centers connected an organized fraud scheme targeting EU cultivation funds managed by the Greek outgo agency, OPEKEPE. The alleged fraud centers connected a blase strategy to siphon disconnected millions successful EU cultivation subsidies done the agency.

According to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), the “organized fraud ring” reportedly exploited the agency’s integer systems successful 2021 to divert funds intended for genuine farmers into the pockets of unauthorized beneficiaries. The probe alleges a web of felonies including machine fraud, breach of trust, and mendacious attestation. By manipulating information and bypassing oversight, the suspects are accused of undermining the fiscal interests of the European Union.

Greek authorities person so acold arrested 15 individuals successful Crete, with investigators estimating that astir 1.7 cardinal euros were obtained done fraudulent subsidy claims. A full of 42 radical are reported to beryllium nether investigation. Law enforcement sources accidental respective of those arrested allegedly continued submitting subsidy applications past year, declaring farmland registered successful the names of deceased individuals.

Greek Constitution limits probe into the workplace subsidy scandal

EPPO notes that the Greek Constitution does not let the probe of erstwhile ministers, unless the Hellenic Parliament approves.

Article 86 of the Greek Constitution states that, if during an investigation, grounds should originate which relates to offences perchance committed by Ministers during the workout of their duties adjacent if they subsequently permission their position, it should beryllium promptly forwarded to the Parliament.

“This makes it intolerable for the EPPO to afloat transportation retired its tasks and forces it to divided its ongoing probe for what concerns the imaginable transgression liability of members of the Greek government,” EPPO says successful its statement.

It adds that “All persons acrophobic are presumed guiltless until proven blameworthy successful the competent Greek courts of law.”

The EPPO, presently headed by Romanian jurist Laura Codruța Kövesi is the autarkic nationalist prosecution bureau of the EU. It is liable for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgement crimes against the fiscal interests of the EU.

Related: Greece’s Farm Subsidy Scandal Exposes Personal Ties Between Political Leaders and Suspects