Greek authorities plan to begin freezing the assets of individuals who unlawfully received agricultural subsidies as early as August, part of an expedited crackdown on financial crime, according to local media reports.
The effort is being led by the Organized Crime Division under the supervision of prosecutor Dimitris Gkizis. A law allows the prosecutor to impose asset freezes even during the preliminary stages of an investigation.
Authorities will begin by targeting cases that have already been reviewed and will categorize recipients based on “risk criteria.”
Those flagged for using falsified documents may have their assets frozen unless they voluntarily return the funds.
Returning the money could lead to leniency in court.
Earlier this week, the Minister of Development, Mr. Kostis Tsiaras, signaled the government's intent to take firm action on subsidy fraud.
The move comes amid public pressure to address the widespread misuse of public funds.