Pressure is continuing to grow on Greece’s ruling governmental party as an evolving Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) money fraud scandal has resulted in raids and a resignation in recent weeks.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is following dozens of cases relating to funds received by Greeks for land they do not own or farm.

The probe centres on EU farmer funds of up to an alleged €45m a year being claimed fraudulently, dating back to 2019.

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It is reported that at least five current or former Greek ministers and as many as 10 members of Greek parliament could be implicated in the CAP fraud that relates to fake claims equalling hundreds of millions of euros. The EPPO said: “In most cases, the pastures declared were in fact public lands, previously allocated only for use by livestock breeders who lacked private agricultural land.

“These pastures were often located far away from the actual place of residence of the individuals claiming to own or lease them.”

However, Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has decided to block a full-scale investigation into the ministers and senior politicians concerned.

Athens-based media reported that Mitsotakis told the parliament the country does not need “scandal-mongering but truths”.

Raids

The fraud revelations have resulted in four raids in Athens and one on the island of Crete by the EPPO, including the offices of the organisation that distributes EU farm funds in Greece, OPEKEPE.

Kalliopi Semertzidou, an official from the prime minister’s New Democracy party, resigned from her post as coordinator of EU funds and women’s entrepreneurship when the probe was widened to include her.

Her resignation comes following claims Semertzidou, her partner and family members received €2.5m in CAP subsidies from OPEKEPE from 2019 to 2024.

Semertzidou said the CAP monies received were legal, adding that the claims were “slanderous” and “false”.

The European Commission has fined Greece almost €400m, or one-fifth of the CAP funds it was due next year, although the exact extent of the fraud is not yet known.