A sweeping investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) into Greece’s disbursement of agricultural subsidies has exposed what officials describe as a widespread scheme to defraud European Union funds through fictitious pastureland claims.

At the center of the inquiry is the Greek Organization for Payments and Control of Community Aid Guidance and Guarantees (OPEKEPE), which administers EU agricultural subsidies in Greece.

On May 19, EPPO prosecutors, accompanied by 20 officers from the Hellenic Police’s anti-corruption unit, conducted an unprecedented raid on OPEKEPE headquarters – the first instance of European prosecutors executing a search at a Greek state institution.

The investigation centers on numerous cases where individuals reportedly received EU funds for pastures they neither owned nor leased, or for agricultural activities they never performed. These fraudulent claims deprived legitimate farmers of rightful subsidies. In comments to Kathimerini, EPPO spokesperson Tine Hollevoet accused the president of OPEKEPE, Nikos Salatas, of actions aimed at obstructing the investigation.

During the raid, EPPO officials encountered resistance from OPEKEPE staff, who claimed they were unable to provide the requested data due to the absence of technical advisers. After several hours, prosecutors requested sworn statements from employees affirming their inability to comply, which they refused. Subsequently, they approached Salatas, who faced the choice of signing the affidavit or facing arrest for obstructing justice. Following this, investigators accessed the necessary data.

OPEKEPE issued a statement asserting full cooperation with the investigation. However, EPPO later released a strongly worded communique accusing the agency of noncooperation, suggesting possible systematic fraudulent practices.

In response, OPEKEPE demanded EPPO retract its allegations within 48 hours, threatening legal action to protect its reputation. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of Rural Development announced Salatas’ dismissal, citing overriding public interest. Salatas, who had been in office since late January, publicly refused to resign, claiming to defend the organization’s integrity.

EPPO investigators seized digital records from OPEKEPE’s databases and cloud storage, including payment data, land rights transfers, and supporting documents from 2016 to 2023.

OPEKEPE has been under EU supervision since September 2024 due to noncompliance with operational standards and now risks losing its certification to manage EU funds. Greek courts, in collaboration with European prosecutors, are examining at least four cases of subsidy misuse involving fictitious pastures. However, most proceedings have faced delays, with only one conviction to date.

Source: Ekathimerini.com