EU Farm Subsidy Scandal Deepens As Four Greek MPs Face Criminal Charges
Four Greek MPs Indicted Over EU Farm Scandal
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has indicted 22 people, including four sitting members of the Greek Parliament, in connection with an alleged multi-million-euro fraud involving European Union agricultural subsidies. The development marks a significant escalation in a case that has intensified scrutiny of Greece's farm subsidy system and increased political pressure on the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
According to the EPPO, the accused include four current lawmakers, several former senior public officials, a former political secretary of the ruling New Democracy party, and former executives of OPEKEPE, the Greek agency responsible for administering EU agricultural payments. Among those charged is a former chairman of the agency. Prosecutors allege the defendants were part of an organised scheme that fraudulently obtained EU agricultural funds through manipulation of subsidy applications and administrative procedures.
The four lawmakers are accused of offences including instigation to commit abuse of trust, instigation to unlawful management of EU funds, instigation to issuing false certifications, and attempted computer fraud. Investigators allege they enabled dozens of private individuals to claim agricultural subsidies for land they did not own and to inflate the number of livestock on their farms in order to receive larger payments. Prosecutors further alleged that some beneficiaries had no genuine connection to agricultural activity.
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In a statement, the EPPO said the investigation uncovered evidence of unlawful interference in administrative and inspection processes. Alleged irregularities included retrospective alterations to official records after mandatory inspections had been completed, interference with on-site inspections, concealment and manipulation of inspection findings, and the issuance of false certifications. According to prosecutors, these actions enabled fraudulent subsidy claims to be approved and EU funds to be improperly disbursed. Investigators said a significant portion of the allegedly fraudulent payments was directed to the island of Crete.
The scandal has added to the political challenges facing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose conservative New Democracy government has faced growing criticism over the management of public institutions. The case is particularly sensitive because the Mitsotakis family has maintained a longstanding political presence in Crete, where many of the alleged fraudulent subsidy claims originated. While the investigation has not accused the prime minister of wrongdoing, the controversy has fuelled opposition criticism over governance and oversight of EU-funded programmes.
The EPPO said allegations against seven current members of Parliament and two former lawmakers had been dismissed due to insufficient evidence, while investigations into three former MPs remain ongoing. If convicted, those indicted could face prison sentences of up to five years in addition to financial penalties. The investigation remains active, with European prosecutors continuing to examine the alleged misuse of EU agricultural funds and determine whether additional charges or prosecutions are warranted.
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