Zeybek alleges €25 million fraud in ecological farming subsidies

Hüseyin Zeybek, Member of Parliament for Xanthi from the New Left Party and Spokesperson for Agricultural Policy, has brought serious allegations of corruption and misconduct within the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food and the OPEKEPE (Greek Agricultural Payments Organization) to the floor of Parliament.

In his parliamentary question, Zeybek claimed that during the 2023–2024 implementation of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Ecological Farming Support Program, a network involving Agricultural Declaration Centers (KBYs), private companies, and public officials fraudulently obtained over €25 million from state funds using fake invoices and fabricated transactions.

Organized Network Accused of Defrauding the State

According to Zeybek, this network exploited the lack of adequate inspections and dysfunctional information systems to receive subsidies without conducting actual agricultural activities. He specifically cited fraudulent billing for services like compost production and the supply of digital pest traps—services that were allegedly never rendered.

His parliamentary submission stated:

“Farmers were enrolled in ecological support programs without their knowledge. Support payments were automatically deducted from their bank accounts and shared between KBY centers and collaborating companies.”

Government Silence and Declining Farmer Confidence

Zeybek emphasized that he had previously raised this issue in December 2024, but received no response from the government or the relevant ministry, which he said violates parliamentary protocol.

In his latest question, the MP posed the following inquiries to the Minister:

Why has the earlier parliamentary question gone unanswered?

Is the Ministry and OPEKEPE aware of these allegations, and what investigations have been launched?

Have the implicated KBY centers and companies been audited? If so, what were the findings?

What measures are in place to prevent fraudulent invoices and declarations?

What actions are being taken to ensure that CAP funds reach legitimate farmers and to safeguard public resources?

CAP’s Ecological Goals in Jeopardy

Zeybek warned that such acts of corruption undermine the EU’s ecological transition goals in agriculture, encourage unfair competition, and erode farmers’ trust in public institutions. He called for urgent reforms and stricter oversight to protect both public funds and the integrity of sustainable agricultural policy.