The Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteris Avgenakis, underlined the continuation of the necessary controls in order to reveal all the circuits that plague agricultural production and the market.

“We will not back down because we have committed to Greek livestock breeders and farmers that aid must be given on time and correctly by OPEKEPE, transparently and consistently, but above all to those who really deserve itsaid the responsible minister in his statements.

He emphasized that all cases of illegal aid from OPEKEPE identified by the prosecuting authorities will be checked one by one.

These are 1,000 cases involving high percentages of animals in organic livestock farming and already since the controls that have started there are four detentions.

Mr. Avgenakis underlined that “this is a case characterized by a criminal organization. All this is a product of the decisive initiative followed by the HYPAAT from January until today. And we will continue. This is the clear message to each side.”

He also emphasized that with the data so far, fines of 2 million euros have been imposed for various violations while he noted that 167 “forgotten” cases are being checked.

Finally, he pointed out that within the next few days the new sanctioning framework for PDO/PGI products will come to the Parliament to become a law of the state.