EPPO Requests Immunity Lift for 11 Greek Lawmakers in Subsidy Fraud

The European Public Prosecutor's Office has requested that Greece lift the parliamentary immunity of 11 sitting lawmakers as part of an investigation into an alleged multimillion-euro fraud scheme involving EU agricultural subsidies. The move, announced on Wednesday, targets officials linked to the Greek Payment Authority for Common Agricultural Policy Support, known as OPEKEPE, which manages over 2 billion euros in annual EU farm aid. The probe focuses on events from 2021 and centers on accusations of instigation of breach of trust, computer fraud, and false attestation to secure unlawful benefits.

The scandal involves dozens of Greek stockbreeders who allegedly falsified claims of land and livestock ownership to siphon funds, including declarations for pastures on archaeological sites, olive groves at military airports, and even banana plantations on Mount Olympus. Greek authorities estimate the network, which began operating around 2018, defrauded at least 23 million euros, with much of the illicit activity concentrated in Crete. To hide the proceeds, suspects reportedly issued fake invoices and routed money through multiple bank accounts. The European Union imposed a 392...