Greek agrarian union warns EU audit could halt farm subsidies

The European Commission’s DG AGRI audit identified significant shortcomings in Greece’s supervision of EU farm subsidies, including insufficient checks on grant eligibility, organic certification and land and animal eligibility. The Panhellenic Federation of Geotechnical Public Employees contends that these deficiencies allow fraud to persist and that the administrative transfer of OPEKEPE to the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority does not guarantee real improvements in oversight. The union calls on Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Chatzidakis to explain the discrepancy between the audit’s picture and the government’s reform narrative, to publish all relevant data, and to pursue administrative, disciplinary, criminal and political responsibility where warranted.