EPPO porobes suspected EU funds fraud across Croatia

Police are gathering evidence across several counties as part of an investigation into suspected corruption and fraud involving EU agricultural funds, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said on Wednesday.

The EPPO said the case involves several Croatian nationals suspected of abuse of office and authority, bribery, subsidy fraud, and document forgery. Evidence is being collected in Sisak-Moslavina, Lika-Senj, Karlovac, Virovitica-Podravina, and Zagreb counties. No further details will be released at this stage, the office added.

Croatian media report that the 20 suspects arrested include a former employee and the current head of a local office of the Payments Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development in Sisak-Moslavina County. Twelve family farms are also believed to be under investigation.

“Since taking over as head of the Payments Agency in 2024, internal audits and enhanced oversight measures have uncovered certain irregularities, which we reported to the competent authorities. My predecessors took similar steps, and one of those cases is now part of an EPPO investigation,” said Nikola Dolački, director of the Payments Agency.

“I want to emphasize that it was the Agency itself that identified these irregularities and reported them to the relevant institutions, with the aim of protecting hardworking and honest farmers and preventing similar cases in the future. As this matter concerns European funds, it falls under the jurisdiction of the EPPO,” he added.