Corruption watchdog demands return of 1.86 million euros in irregular state benefits

Greece’s National Transparency Authority has uncovered irregular state welfare payments totaling €1.86 million distributed between 2020 and 2022, the anti-corruption watchdog announced Tuesday. The authority is now calling on officials to recover the improperly disbursed funds and has referred the case to judicial authorities for potential criminal prosecution.

The investigation targeted OPEKA, the state organization responsible for managing and distributing various social welfare benefits to Greek citizens. According to the transparency authority, the audit was initiated following an internal investigation conducted by OPEKA itself, which identified potential irregularities in benefit payments.

Irregular State Welfare Payments Linked to Former Officials

The National Transparency Authority reported that OPEKA’s internal probe connected the irregular state welfare payments to two former senior officials within the organization. However, authorities have not publicly identified the individuals or specified their exact roles in the alleged misconduct.

OPEKA administers a wide range of social assistance programs, including housing support, funeral expenses, and financial aid for elderly ethnic Greeks living in Albania who lack social security coverage. Hundreds of thousands of Greek citizens depend on benefits processed through this state body.

Irregularities Found in Application and Approval Processes

The transparency authority’s audit revealed systematic problems in how benefit applications were processed and approved. Additionally, investigators discovered that in certain cases, payments began significantly earlier than regulations permitted, suggesting potential manipulation of the approval timeline.

The watchdog has issued several recommendations in response to its findings. These include pursuing disciplinary action against employees involved in the irregularities and urging OPEKA to actively seek repayment of the €1.86 million in improperly distributed funds.

Pattern of Benefit Fraud Raises Concerns

This latest scandal follows a similar case involving OPEKEPE, another Greek state agency responsible for distributing European Union agricultural subsidies to farmers. That investigation uncovered illegal payments of EU funds, highlighting broader concerns about oversight mechanisms in Greece’s welfare payment systems.

The recurring pattern of benefit fraud across different state bodies has raised questions about internal controls and monitoring procedures. Meanwhile, transparency advocates argue these cases demonstrate the importance of independent oversight in preventing misuse of public funds.

The discovery of welfare payment irregularities comes at a time when Greece continues to strengthen its anti-corruption framework. In contrast to previous decades, the country has established more robust mechanisms for detecting and prosecuting financial misconduct in public administration.

Recovery Efforts and Legal Action Ahead

The National Transparency Authority has forwarded its complete findings to judicial authorities, who will determine whether criminal charges are warranted. Prosecutors will examine whether the irregular payments constitute fraud, embezzlement, or other criminal offenses under Greek law.

OPEKA now faces the challenge of recovering the €1.86 million in improperly paid benefits. The organization will need to identify recipients who received payments they were not entitled to and establish procedures for recouping the funds, a process that could prove complex and time-consuming.

Greek officials have not announced a specific timeline for completing the recovery process or indicated when judicial proceedings might begin. The outcome of any potential prosecutions will depend on the evidence gathered and the legal arguments presented by both sides in court.