EU oversight tightens as Greece’s farm fund agency faces losing certification. Can OPEKEPE fix systemic failures before Brussels pulls the plug?
Prosecutors faced physical resistance from staff at OPEKEPE, the Greek agency responsible for distributing EU farm funds, during a dramatic raid in Athens. The Greek government fired OPEKEPE’s president after he failed to cooperate with the EU probe into fraudulent subsidies. Millions in farm funds may have been misused.
The EPPO (European Public Prosecutor’s Office) suspects Greek citizens received EU money for non- existent farms or fake agricultural projects, depriving real farmers of funds they were entitled to. Investigators confiscated digital data, hard disks and phones from OPEKEPE HQ and carried out raids in Crete.
The organization claimed full cooperation yet prosecutors reported major delays and non-compliance. The Greek agency even threatened legal action to defend its reputation. With EU oversight in place since 2024 due to mismanagement, OPEKEPE now risks losing certification to manage EU funds. A decision is expected in July.
The scandal raises urgent questions about corruption, EU oversight and financial accountability. Will Brussels take stronger action against misuse of EU funds?