The European Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating 21 people in Croatia for suspected fraud with EU agricultural subsidies.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb has opened an investigation against 21 Croatian citizens, including a public official and a former public official, in a case regarding possible fraud with subsidies from the European Union's agricultural funds. Prosecutors are investigating an alleged scheme in which agricultural areas were artificially inflated in records, documents were falsified, and farmers attempted to unlawfully obtain 670,000 euros, of which 357,000 euros were paid.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb has opened an investigation against 21 Croatian citizens, arrested in a case regarding suspicions of corruption and fraud with agricultural subsidies from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund.

In brief

The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb has initiated an investigation against 21 Croatian citizens, including a public official and a former public official.

The suspects were arrested in a case regarding possible acts of corruption and fraud with agricultural subsidies from the EAFRD and EAGF.

The arrests followed 30 searches conducted on May 6, 2026, involving 150 police officers.

EPPO claims that the suspects attempted to unlawfully obtain 670,000 euros from EU funds, of which 357,000 euros were paid.

The investigated acts may constitute abuse of office, bribery, subsidy fraud, and document forgery.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office, EPPO, through its office in Zagreb, has opened an investigation against 21 Croatian citizens, including a public official and a former public official, in a case regarding suspicions of corruption and agricultural subsidy fraud. The targeted funds come from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, EAFRD, and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund, EAGF.

The 21 individuals were arrested after 30 searches conducted on May 6, 2026. The operation involved 150 police officers and was carried out in cooperation with the Sisak-Moslavina Police Department and the Independent Sector for Financial Investigations within the Tax Administration of the Ministry of Finance of Croatia.

Among the suspects is a former specialized advisor in a county branch of the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development, and the head of the same branch. The two are under suspicion of abuse of office and bribery.

According to the investigation, starting from 2020, the former advisor allegedly formed a criminal association with two other suspects to allow interested farmers to obtain undue subsidies from the EAFRD and EAGF in exchange for financial rewards.

EPPO claims that the former advisor, together with the other two members of the group, artificially inflated land areas in the relevant register and falsified documents to attest to the carrying out of agricultural activities. The documents allegedly included fraudulent invoices regarding the sale of manure and fraudulent laboratory analyses of soil, added to the applications for EU funds.

Based on the evidence collected, EPPO states that the former public official and the other two suspects, together with the investigated farmers, attempted to unlawfully obtain payment of 670,000 euros from European funds. Of this amount, 357,000 euros were paid.

Members of the group allegedly received financial benefits of at least 36,000 euros. European prosecutors present these amounts as part of the alleged mechanism through which agricultural subsidies were unlawfully obtained in exchange for payments to the involved individuals.

The investigation also targets the head of the branch of the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development. He is suspected of coordinating with at least four other farmers to assist them in preparing and submitting applications for European funding, so that they could obtain approval for incentives and agricultural subsidies under potentially irregular circumstances, in exchange for illicit financial benefits.

The investigated acts may constitute abuse of office, bribery, subsidy fraud, and document forgery. In the Croatian version of the press release, EPPO specifies that the suspicions also concern the commission of acts within a criminal association.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office specifies that all targeted individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty before the competent Croatian courts. At this stage, the investigation does not represent a conviction and does not establish the guilt of the suspects.

The case concerns the management of European agricultural funds and how subsidies can be vulnerable to fraud through false documents, manipulated agricultural data, and interventions by individuals with access to the structures responsible for verification and payment.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office is the independent prosecutor's office of the European Union. The institution investigates, prosecutes, and brings to trial crimes that affect the financial interests of the EU, including fraud with European funds, corruption, and other crimes related to the EU budget.

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund finance the agricultural policies of the Union, including support for farmers and rural development. Cases of subsidy fraud can affect both the EU budget and fair competition between beneficiaries who comply with the rules and those who obtain funds through false documents or declarations.

The investigation in Croatia is at a preliminary criminal stage. The continuation of the procedure will depend on the evidence administered by EPPO, the Croatian authorities, and the assessment of the competent courts.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/stiri/parchetul-european-ancheteaza-21-de-persoane-in-croatia-pentru-suspiciuni-de-frauda-cu-subventii-agricole-ue