Greek court convicts 13 over illegal subsidies

A court in Athens has concluded a trial involving illegal subsidies from the Organization for Centralization of Agricultural Insurance (OPEKEPE), resulting in the conviction of 13 defendants. The case centered on approximately 250,000 euros in fraudulent subsidies originating from the OPEKEPE office in Serres.

The three-judge court unanimously found 13 of the 25 accused guilty, following the recommendation of the European Public Prosecutor's delegate, Evgenia Kybelou. The convictions were for charges including fraud, complicity in fraud, and false certification.

Sentences for the convicted individuals, who were granted the mitigating circumstance of having lived a lawful life, range from five to 26 months, all with a three-year suspension. Additionally, the court ordered each of the convicted defendants to pay 1,200 euros in legal costs. Initially, 32 people faced trial, but seven reached plea bargains and returned the funds they had received.