Finance
Greek Farmers Clash With Police in Protests Over Delayed EU Farm Subsidies
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 30, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
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Greek farmers clashed with police over delayed EU subsidies. Protests arise from a corruption investigation affecting payments.
Greek Farmers Clash with Police Over EU Subsidy Delays
NIKAIA, Greece, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Greek farmers clashed with police on Sunday during protests in central and northern regions over the delayed payment of European Union subsidies prompted by an investigation into a corruption scandal that has rocked the country.
Hundreds of farmers took to the streets, blocking roads with their tractors in several areas to protest against the conservative government over an estimated 600-million-euro ($696 million) shortfall in EU aid and other payments.
Near the central city of Nikaia, police fired teargas at the protesters who tried to break barricades, a Reuters witness said.
The delay in payments comes amid investigations into a scandal in which some farmers allegedly faked land and livestock ownership to receive EU agricultural subsidies.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which is investigating crimes against the financial interests of the EU, said this year it had found evidence that Greek farmers, helped by state officials, misappropriated the EU funds.
Greek authorities have launched separate investigations and parliament is probing the government agency OPEKEPE, which distributes roughly 2.5 billion euros in EU aid annually to hundreds of thousands of farmers.
The government, which has promised transparency, has acknowledged that the first instalment of EU subsidies is lower than last year and that over 40,000 of farmers' applications were under inspection.
($1 = 0.8624 euros)
(Reporting by Alexandros Avramidis and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Key Takeaways
- •Greek farmers protest delayed EU subsidies.
- •Protests involve road blockades and clashes with police.
- •Investigations reveal misappropriation of EU funds.
- •Over 40,000 subsidy applications under inspection.
- •Government promises transparency amid scandal.
Frequently Asked Questions about Greek farmers clash with police in protests over delayed EU farm subsidies
1What is a corruption scandal?
A corruption scandal involves allegations of unethical or illegal behavior by individuals or organizations, often involving bribery or misuse of power, which can lead to investigations and public outcry.
2What are EU agricultural subsidies?
EU agricultural subsidies are financial payments made by the European Union to farmers to support their income, stabilize food prices, and promote sustainable farming practices across member states.
3What is the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)?
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is an independent body of the European Union responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes against the financial interests of the EU, including fraud and corruption.
4What is a financial investigation?
A financial investigation is a process of examining financial records and transactions to uncover evidence of fraud, corruption, or other financial crimes, often conducted by law enforcement or regulatory agencies.
