EU Prosecutors Uncover Signs of Organized Scheme in Bulgarian Farm Subsidy Case

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a probe in Bulgaria into suspected misuse of EU agricultural subsidies, the institution announced from Luxembourg. As part of the inquiry, the National Police Directorate General carried out a series of searches and seizures earlier this week.

According to the case details, investigators are examining whether false or misleading information was provided in applications for agricultural support under several EU-funded schemes between 2023 and 2025. The evidence gathered so far points to a beneficiary company that allegedly submitted inaccurate data to the Municipal Agricultural Service in Burgas, with indications that senior officials responsible for checking information within the Ministry of Agriculture’s systems may have been involved.

Police teams searched the offices of the Regional Agricultural Service, the company’s business premises, as well as the home of a high-ranking public official. Officers seized documents, electronic data and mobile devices.

The alleged scheme is believed to have enabled the unlawful acquisition of EU agricultural funds, causing financial harm to both European and Bulgarian public finances. While the precise amount of the losses is still being calculated, preliminary assessments indicate damage amounting to several hundred thousand euros annually.

Investigators are also examining signals of a coordinated criminal structure possibly involving public officials and individuals linked to the beneficiary company.