EU charges dozens of Greek livestock farmers with fraud

(Reuters) - European prosecutors have charged dozens of Greek stockbreeders who received EU financial aid with making false declarations of ownership or leasing of pastureland.

The overall damage to the EU budget is estimated at 2.9 million euros, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. The majority of the 100 suspects, it said, did not live where they had declared in their applications.

"According to the investigation, the suspects submitted false declarations of ownership or falsified lease contracts of plots of land which in reality they did not own or had not leased," it said.

The funds they received were from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and paid out by the Greek Payment Authority of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) aid scheme.

The cases will be heard before Greek courts in March and May. The suspects face up to five years in prison and a fine.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou; editing by Mark Heinrich)