The responsibilities of employees of OPECEPEwho “did not act substantial” as to the statements made to him for subsidies rather than “the indications for fraud,” the European Prosecutor said today. Charikleia Thanoujumping in trial of 13 defendants for illegal subsidies.
In particular, this case that is being heard in the courts of the former Evelpidon School concerns the case filewhich on a case -by -case basis prosecuted for fraud against public in order to obtain grantfor false certificate and for forgery.
Benefits of over 400 thousand euros – stated land in the private Agoriani forest as pasture
According to the indictment, 12 of the involved are alleged to have obtained a total of illegal Benefits of over 440,000 euroswith the subsidies that everyone received ranging from 13,000 to 91,000 euros.
It should be noted that this case entered the “microscope” of justice after anonymous complaintstating that a group of “farmers” had submitted to the same statements reception center fake leasespresenting as its own thousands of acres of undivided co -owned land. As it became known in the context of investigations These areas are found in the private forest of Agoriani (Eccaragus) and in Makrirrachi, and stated in single aid applications as pasture!
Central person In the whole case it is alleged to be The former president of the Makrirrai Agricultural Cooperativewho remained in place by 2020. This person in his today’s apology in court cited relevant rulings to argue that the Cooperative has legitimate grazing rights on these areas since 1935.
For their part the rest of the defendants refused any illegal action And before the court they said today that they acted in the context of the relevant circular, which did not require, as they pointed out, that there was agricultural production or animal capital to receive the subsidy.
On the contrary, as they said, the only criterion set by the circular on receiving the subsidy was to maintain pasture in a “good farming”. Specifically, as the defendants said, the grass was required not to exceed 70 cm high. They emphasized in this area regular herds of animals and that there are many stables there. In the light of these facts, they pointed out that the certificates they submitted (to receive subsidies) were genuine and not fake,
The guilt of all defendants is proposed by the European Prosecutor
However, the executed European prosecutor In her speech today in trial requested that all 13 defendants in the case be found guiltypointing out that the disputes were never rented and never used by the defendants. Indeed, in her speech she underlined OPECEPE’s responsibilities by saying that she did not act effectively by staying only in the content of the defendants’ statements.
Subsequently, Mrs Thanou referred to his employees’ responsibilities OPECEPEwho should – as he pointed out – go on the spot and control and find out what is really going on. Indicatively, the prosecutor said in her proposal: “This has led to the phenomenon that no real control is carried out, despite the signs of falsification and fraud, and that is one reason that OPECEPE is controlled by our office. All this money has been deprived of someone who really has agricultural activity and is struggling to do his crops. Was done exploitation by sophisticated. OPEKEPE had to go to the point regardless of circulars and see if there is really the declared activity. There they would see that there were animals, the pasture was actually productive. “
Indeed, Ms Thanou requested the transmission of copies of the case file in order to check five witnesses for the crime of falsehood, two people for incitement to falsehood and another person for false certificate.
It is recalled that the Court of Appeal is ongoing another trial for the case of illegal subsidies and the court ruling is expected in the coming period. And in this case the prosecutor Kalliopi Daianda He has proposed that all the defendants in this case be declared guilty.
They are seven people between them and one lawyer and all of them – as stated in court with the inclusion of the trial – have returned the money they received as subsidies. According to what has been known to date, the defendants in this case are alleged to have received or assisted that some will receive illegally subsidies -as reported -from 25,000 euros to 90,000 euros in 2019 without being entitled to them.
Ms Daianda has called for the guilt of all seven defendants, who are, among other things, charged with the charged fraud against the EU.