Greek PM Addresses EU Farm Subsidy Fraud as “Chronic Problem”

Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, described alleged fraud involving European Union agricultural subsidies as “a chronic problem” during a press conference held on Sunday. He emphasized that the issue predates his government, which took office in 2019. Mitsotakis stated, “Our government cannot take all the responsibility” for the ongoing investigations by the EU into these allegations.

The fraud is estimated by Greek authorities to be at least 23 million euros (approximately $27 million). According to Mitsotakis, the fraudulent activities reportedly began in 2016, before he assumed office. The EU investigation focuses on claims that numerous recipients siphoned off funds through large-scale corruption, primarily since Mitsotakis’s administration began.

In a significant move, EU investigators conducted a raid three months ago at the Athens offices of the Greek government agency responsible for managing these payments, OPEKEPE, which has since been shut down. This agency was responsible for distributing over 3 billion euros annually, mainly in subsidies to approximately 680,000 farmers. A subsequent investigation by Greek authorities scrutinized 6,354 aid recipients, revealing that 1,036 of them had illegally received payments totaling 23 million euros.

Mitsotakis acknowledged the shortcomings of his administration, admitting, “We did not manage to clean up OPEKEPE.” He also assured the public that efforts to recover the improperly disbursed funds have already begun, stating, “The government is now on the right path to fix this problem.” The Prime Minister noted that many of the fraudulent claims were made through false declarations regarding agricultural land and livestock ownership.

The investigation has predominantly highlighted that most of the alleged fraudulent activities originated from the Greek island of Crete. Experts and media reports have pointed to systemic corruption and a culture of patronage that is said to be prevalent in the country. Mitsotakis emphasized that “the EU has investigations into numerous matters in all the (member) countries,” asserting that his government “has nothing to hide or to fear from such checks.”

As this situation develops, the focus remains on the ongoing EU investigation and its implications for Greece’s agricultural sector and governance.