Cadastre disputes disrupt farm subsidies in Greece as Ministry announces temporary fix

Greece’s Ministry of Rural Development and Food has acknowledged widespread disruptions in agricultural subsidy payments caused by cadastral inconsistencies, affecting an estimated 200,000 farmers nationwide.

The issue was raised in parliament by Özgür Ferhat, a lawmaker from Rhodope affiliated with New Left, who submitted a formal inquiry highlighting systemic mismatches between state databases.

Data Mismatch Leaves Farmers Without Payments
According to Ferhat, thousands of agricultural plots — long cultivated and regularly declared by producers — have been incorrectly registered as state-owned land following cross-checks between:

• Cadastre records
• Tax authority AADE
• Payment system OPEKEPE

This discrepancy has triggered classification errors under code 54350, marking the land as ineligible for subsidies.

Ferhat stressed that the problem stems not from farmers, but from administrative and technical inconsistencies, noting that producers:

• Hold legal title deeds
• Declare properties in the E9 tax system
• Pay property tax (ENFIA) regularly
• Ministry Admits Problem, Cites EU Rules

Responding on behalf of the government, Deputy Minister Yannis Andrianos confirmed the issue and attributed it to misalignment between administrative databases.

However, he pointed that under European Union regulations, subsidy payments require clear documentation of legal land use or possession rights, limiting immediate full restoration of payments.

Temporary “Agricultural Use Presumption” Introduced
To address the crisis, the ministry is preparing a legislative measure introducing a temporary “presumption of agricultural use” for:

• Land actively cultivated
• Parcels declared in the OPEKEPE system over the past four years

This measure aims to prevent income loss for genuine producers while ownership disputes are resolved.

Appeals Mechanism to Restore Access
Authorities also announced the creation of an appeals process, allowing farmers to regain access to subsidies by submitting supporting documents such as:

• Lease agreements
• Administrative decisions
• Usage contracts

Officials clarified that the measure:

• Does not grant ownership rights
• Does not replace cadastral or judicial procedures
• Functions strictly as a temporary administrative solution
• Pressure Mounts in Agricultural Regions
• The issue is particularly acute in regions like Rhodope, where agriculture plays a central economic role, intensifying calls for a rapid and comprehensive resolution.

Ferhat also urged authorities to investigate the correction of land registry records, the return of properties to rightful owners, and the restoration of their legal status.