Greek police arrest 20 in EU farm subsidy fraud investigation

Greek police have arrested 20 people on the island of Crete in connection with an alleged criminal network accused of defrauding the European Union through fraudulent agricultural subsidy claims, authorities said on May 25.

Police said the group allegedly submitted false declarations of farmland in order to obtain EU agricultural funds. Among those suspected of leading the network were two accountants and several state employees who allegedly assisted farmers in filing the applications, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

According to police, the network had been operating since 2019 and generated more than €3 million in illegal revenue.

The arrests are the latest development in a broader investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office into suspected crimes affecting the EU’s financial interests in Greece.

Last year, European prosecutors charged dozens of Greek livestock breeders with allegedly falsifying ownership of grazing land to secure millions of euros in EU subsidies, reportedly with assistance from state officials and members of the conservative political establishment.

The scandal has triggered significant political controversy in Greece, leading to parliamentary inquiries, ministerial resignations, and calls from opposition parties for early elections.

In April, at the request of the European chief prosecutor, the Greek parliament voted to lift the immunity of 13 lawmakers from the ruling New Democracy party to allow investigations into their suspected involvement in separate subsidy-related cases.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged EU prosecutors to quickly determine whether charges will be filed against the lawmakers, as the government seeks to contain the political fallout ahead of the next parliamentary elections, expected by spring 2027.

By Sabina Mammadli