European public prosecutor investigates illegal EU subsidies in Greece
A team of the European Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting a large-scale investigation in Greece into illegal EU subsidies worth millions of euros.
The nationwide investigation has been taken over by prosecutor Poppy Papandreou, who is part of the Greek section of the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Already Papandreou has ordered and carried out surprise checks and seizures at the offices of the Greek Payment Authority of Common Agricultural Policy (OPEKEPE) in Athens and Crete. The checks were assigned by the European Public Prosecutor's Office to the Hellenic Police, and the investigation mainly concerns the period 2020 - 2022.
During the police raids, authorities seized documents, computer hard drives, and data.
There are allegations regarding the improper allocation of hundreds of millions of euros to individuals who do not qualify as beneficiaries. To date, criminal charges have been filed against around one hundred individuals in connection with these illegal subsidies. It is worth noting that more than 80% of the illegal subsidies concern Crete. Investigations are continuing.
AMNA
