The Greek government is moving forward with a major restructuring plan
The Greek government is moving forward with a major restructuring plan that would replace OPEKEPE (the Greek Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid) with the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) as the main body responsible for managing EU agricultural subsidies.
The planned shift, which is being shaped amid growing scrutiny from the European Union, will affect the administration of approximately €3 billion in annual European funds intended for over 680,000 farmers and livestock breeders in Greece.
Why the Change?
Government sources explain that the motivation behind the transition stems from the credibility and efficiency of AADE’s payment and auditing mechanisms.
“AADE, as a public payment authority, already possesses reliable control frameworks and mechanisms,” officials told the financial news outlet OT. “Farmers will submit their applications to AADE instead of OPEKEPE, which will then carry out necessary checks and data cross-referencing before making payments.”
EU Pressure and Fraud Allegations
The decision comes amid growing concern in Brussels, with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigating what it calls one of the largest agricultural subsidy frauds in recent years.
Investigations have revealed that fraudulent subsidies were distributed between 2017 and 2020, primarily to individuals who declared ownership or rental
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