European Public Prosecutor raids in Trikala and Kalambaka over fictitious livestock subsidies
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted surprise raids on veterinary services in Trikala and Kalambaka. Investigations are underway into fictitious animal declarations and illegal subsidies worth millions of euros.
European Public Prosecutor: Surprise checks in Trikala and Kalambaka over subsidy ring
A team from the European Public Prosecutor's Office, together with police officers from Internal Affairs, conducted a surprise raid on the Veterinary Service Directorate of Trikala, according to reporting by Ethnos. The inspectors arrived in the morning, catching staff off guard, and proceeded to carry out extensive checks on files and computers.
The staff remained at the offices for approximately 12 hours. At the end of the operation, all relevant material was seized.
What the European Public Prosecutor is investigating
The subject of the investigation concerns alleged illegal subsidies received by dozens of livestock farmers during the years 2020 and 2022, by declaring a larger number of animals than actually owned. Ethnos reports that an indictment is being examined for criminal organisation allegedly operating in Thessaly.
The damage to the European Union is estimated, should the findings be confirmed, at several million euros. At the same time, investigations are underway into the possible involvement of both state officials and political figures.
How the case began
The thread began to unravel in the summer, when new material reached the European Public Prosecutor's Office following a request for data transmission from the Thessaly Region. On the basis of this material, the decision was made to carry out the surprise operation in Trikala.
Checks at other services
Alongside the Trikala veterinary service, a raid was conducted on offices related to the registers of the agricultural support payments organisation. There too, documents and computers were seized, and detailed statements were inspected.
At a second stage, a raid was also conducted at the Kalambaka veterinary clinic, from which additional material was collected for the purposes of the investigation.
Expansion of the investigation
According to Ethnos, the investigation is being expanded both in terms of the persons involved and geographically. The aim is to carry out a complete mapping of the illegal subsidies ring and to document the paths of public money.
Source: Ethnos