Multiple investigations into fraud with European agricultural funds are ongoing in Slovakia. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against individuals and companies that used false documents and claimed land they did not own. Due to inspections, payments have been halted and recovered, preventing further damage.
Additionally, Politico recently revealed the Hacienda case. Funds meant to stimulate rural tourist pensions were in fact used for building private villas for officials and their friends. Critics say the Slovak National Agricultural Agency has functioned for years as a “bank for oligarchs.” The agency denies this, but opposition parties demand structural reforms and accountability.
These revelations have shaken Slovak politics. Opposition leaders claim tens of millions of euros have been misused by government loyalists. However, Prime Minister Robert Fico calls it an invented scandal and defends existing controls. Civil society organizations warn that systemic corruption is deeply rooted and whistleblowers are neutralized instead of protected.
In the Czech Republic, misuse of EU funds is again on the agenda. Radio Prague International reported that the Agriculture Ministry is demanding repayment of subsidies from Agrofert, the conglomerate linked to former Prime Minister Babiš. This gives a new financial twist to a dossier that has caused tensions with Brussels for years.
Early next month there will be parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. Babiš will once again attempt to return to power.
The Czech case underlines that fraudulent use of European agricultural funds often has a lengthy aftermath. While earlier investigations already showed links between political networks and subsidy schemes, new legal steps are forcing actual financial corrections. It highlights how complex and persistent the entanglement between politics and agricultural interests can be.
In Greece, a large case involving agricultural subsidies has escalated into a national political crisis. Investigators found that 1,036 tax numbers collectively received about 22.6 million euros in unjustified subsidies. Many of these claims were based on nonexistent farmland and fictitious livestock herds. The Greek implementing agency OPEKEPE faces severe criticism for poor controls and political interference.
Greek authorities have started recoveries and seizures. At the same time, the government announced that OPEKEPE’s tasks will be redistributed to the tax authority to ensure stricter oversight. A parliamentary inquiry starting Monday aims to expose how officials and politicians allowed for years the fraudulent applying for, awarding, and paying out of subsidies.
Together, the three dossiers show that the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy has been under pressure for years due to misuse and corruption. Slovakia faces systemic shortcomings, the Czech Republic deals with repercussions surrounding Agrofert, and Greece conducts a parliamentary investigation into large-scale fraud. In all cases, it is not just about recovering millions but also about restoring trust in the European agricultural subsidies system.