Greece must submit by October 2 a new, enhanced action plan to address the misuse of EU farm subsidies, otherwise it risks losing them, according to Politico.
After the exposure of the OPEKEPE scandal, the government submitted an initial action plan to the relevant European Commission department, the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), but it was deemed inadequate and not in line with EU regulations.
Specifically, in a letter the Greek government received last month from the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, it was stated that “DG AGRI is of the opinion that the plan, as currently proposed, is not sufficient to remedy the deficiencies and therefore does not comply with the provisions,” requesting that it be “amended and strengthened.”
The opposition accused the government of covering up the scandal, since the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee will not call the witnesses identified by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
If Greece fails to submit a new action plan, the “monthly or interim payments” of farm subsidies may be frozen. Agriculture Minister Konstantinos Tsiaras assured yesterday that there is no such risk.
At the same time, the opposition accuses the government of covering up the OPEKEPE scandal, arguing that the Inquiry Committee it established will not summon the witnesses identified by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, among them political figures.
What is fyi.news?
