Whereas fraudulent candidates have already been delivered to court docket, no person on the group has been charged. Quite the opposite, every time authorities on the company tried to take motion to dismantle the rip-off, they have been pressured out by the agriculture minister of the day.
The misappropriated funds might quantity to €45 million a yr, in one of many largest farming frauds of latest years. The scheme has come to gentle earlier than the EU begins discussions this yr to set a brand new mid-term price range from 2028 to 2034. The Greek scandal is certain to provide recent ammunition to critics of the Widespread Agricultural Coverage, often called CAP, which accounts for a 3rd of the EU’s €1.3 trillion, seven-year price range.
Since its inception greater than 60 years in the past, CAP funding has been principally tied to land space. Such entitlements are large open to abuse, because the Greek scheme exhibits, and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing for the cash to be higher spent. But the bloc’s prime farm official, Christophe Hansen, desires to maintain the hyperlink between land and cash — whereas EU nations oppose basic reform.
One of many first to note the irregularities was the top of OPEKEPE’s Inside Audit Division, Paraskevi Tycheropoulou. Her superiors responded by sidelining her — shutting her out of the group’s databases and locking her out of her workplace.
She has since been invited by EPPO to help its inquiries and advise on technical and authorized points.
“Tycheropoulou’s methodology led to the uncovering of an intensive ring which, via false declarations of possession, illegally obtained EU help via the nationwide reserve,” her lawyer, Antonis Vagianos, instructed POLITICO.
