EU prosecutor charges four Greek MPs in agricultural subsidy fraud scandal

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BEĞENDİM

ABONE OL

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The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens has brought charges against 22 suspects, including four sitting members of the Greek Parliament, several former senior public officials and political figures, as part of an investigation into an alleged organised fraud ring involving the management of agricultural funds.

By contrast, the charges against seven other sitting MPs have been dropped due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

It’s part of a series of investigations the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting into an alleged organised fraud scheme in which public officials at the government agency OPEKEPE are believed to be involved.

On 24 April 2026, the Hellenic Parliament approved a request by the European Chief Prosecutor for the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of 11 sitting MPs, allowing EPPO to pursue its investigations into acts allegedly committed in 2021, examining both incriminating and exculpatory evidence.

The investigations uncovered recurring patterns of corruption in the management of European agricultural subsidies financed under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). According to the evidence, the following offences were identified:

• Illegal interference in administrative procedures and inspections
• Retrospective tampering with data after mandatory checks had been completed
• Unlawful intervention in on-site inspections
• Concealment and manipulation of inspection findings
• False attestations

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The charges

In these specific cases, which relate exclusively to acts committed in 2021, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has brought:

• Five counts of breach of trust against the former President of OPEKEPE
• Two counts of breach of trust against the former Director General for Direct Payments
• Charges of breach of trust and unlawful management of European Union funds against two former Regional Directors of OPEKEPE

Among the defendants are also four sitting MPs:

• Three are charged with incitement to commit breach of trust
• One is charged with incitement to commit unlawful management of European funds and an additional charges for incitement to make false attestations and for attempted computer fraud

The remaining defendants include an employee at the political office of a sitting MP, an associate of a former minister, a veterinarian employed as a public official, as well as a number of subsidy beneficiaries.

They face misdemeanour charges, including:

• Subsidy fraud
• Attempted computer fraud
• Making false statements in public documents
• Incitement in relation to the offences allegedly committed by senior public officials.

If found guilty, the defendants face a prison sentence of up to five years, as well as the criminal financial penalties provided for under Greek law.

Cases that have been closed

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office also announced that complaints against seven further sitting MPs and two former MPs have been closed, as insufficient evidence was found to justify bringing criminal charges. It stressed that “all material was assessed objectively and impartially, with equal attention paid to both incriminating and exculpatory evidence”.

For the remaining individuals under investigation, among them three former MPs, criminal proceedings are ongoing.

At the same time, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office notes that other investigations are under way into acts allegedly committed in different years, with no further details being released at this stage so as not to jeopardise the progress of the ongoing criminal proceedings.