Greek farmers face a 600 million euro ($700 million) shortfall in EU aid and other payments after a corruption scandal in which some farmers, aided by state employees, faked land ownership to qualify for payouts. Ongoing audits have slowed subsequent disbursements.
The delays to funding come just as farmers and stock breeders struggle with an outbreak of sheep pox that has led to hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats being culled.
“We don’t have help, climate change has influenced production a great deal, all of this with the (corruption) scandal – people who have nothing to do with the profession are getting enormous amounts,” said one farmer, Prokopis Bandzis, who protested on the island of Lesbos.
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Farmers’ protest turns nasty in Brussels
Farmers from across the continent of Europe have gathered in Brussels to protest against a free trade agreement with the Mercosur nations of South America. They fear that Europe will be swamped by cheap farm products. When protesters hurled stones, Belgian police deployed water cannon.