The European Commission has imposed a hefty fine of nearly €400 million on Greece for its failure to properly manage European Union agricultural funds and for insufficient controls, Politico reported today.
Brussels has ordered Athens to pay €392.2 million from EU funds due to systemic failures in the management of EU agricultural subsidies during the period from 2016 to 2023.
Allegations and Investigation
The Greek agency responsible for overseeing EU subsidies has also been accused of making payments without sufficient checks or on-site inspections. The decision to impose the fine followed a major scandal involving fraud related to Greek farms, which is currently the subject of an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), Politico noted.
The EPPO is investigating dozens of cases where Greek citizens received EU agricultural funds intended for developing pastures they did not own or lease, or for agricultural activities in which they were never engaged. This practice effectively deprived genuine farmers of the money they deserved.
The Greek government announced last month that it would close the state agency responsible for overseeing agricultural subsidies, OPEKEPE, which is currently under investigation.
