EU fraud probe delays farm payments

[InTime News]

A surprise raid by European Union anti-fraud investigators has delayed overdue cultivation subsidy payments to Greek farmers, continuing fallout from a corruption ungraded astatine the nation’s workplace payments agency.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) conducted an unannounced inspection Monday astatine OPEKEPE headquarters, the bureau liable for distributing EU cultivation funds.

Agriculture Minister Kostas Tsiaras said payments owed since summertime would statesman “immediately aft completion of the ongoing inspection,” with beforehand payments expected successful November.

However, helium declined to specify nonstop dates, noting the probe timeline “concerns neither the authorities nor my jurisdiction.” OLAF investigators requested documents connected organizational structure, worker responsibilities, and outer advisor contracts.

Sources suggest they are examining whether accusation antecedently provided to prosecutors was incomplete. The cognition follows a May raid when the then-OPEKEPE president allegedly attempted to obstruct European prosecutors, requiring constabulary intervention.

In July, Economic Police searched bureau servers to transcript subsidy databases. Greece indispensable submit a revised enactment program by November 4 to guarantee continued EU funding. “We’re doing everything imaginable not to jeopardize the travel of European resources,” Tsiaras said.

The ungraded continues to interaction morganatic farmers astir severely.