Greek Rural Development Minister Evagelos Apostolou on Friday said that 12,000 Greek farmers that received the highest amounts will first be asked to return their share of some 215 million euros in illegal subsidies handed out to 95,000 farmers through the “Hatzigakis package” of 2008-2009. The subsidies were ruled illegal in an irrevocable decision of the European Court of Justice, which has ordered that they be recovered.
Replying to SYRIZA MP Stavros Arachovitis in Parliament, the minister said that all legal avenues for contesting the court’s decision had been exhausted. He said the first notices for repayment will be sent to 12,000 farmers that received state assistance exceeding 5,000 euros each, from which the Greek state expects to recover 40 million euros in total.
Giving examples, Apostolou said that a farmer that was given the sum of 12,000 euros at the time would now be asked to return 7,000 euros.
In addition to the Hatzigakis subsidies, Greece also faced action over the “Kontos package” worth 108 million euros and the “Moraitis Package” worth another 500 million euros, he warned.
(source: ana-mpa)
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