Slovak Agricultural Agency 'Hijacked by Oligarchy', Anti-Corruption Activist Claims

Slovakia's Agricultural Paying Agency (PPA), which distributes European Union agricultural subsidies, has been taken over by oligarchs who are exploiting the system for personal gain, according to Xénia Makarová from the Stop Corruption Foundation. Makarová argues that the agency has become "a state within a state" controlled by figures appointed by those misusing agricultural subsidies, while politicians provide cover for the corruption. The activist warns that European agricultural subsidies to Slovakia are now at risk due to the catastrophic state of the PPA. The Agricultural Paying Agency is responsible for managing and distributing billions of euros in EU funds to Slovak farmers and agricultural businesses. Slovakia, like other EU member states, receives substantial agricultural subsidies as part of the Common Agricultural Policy, making proper oversight of these funds crucial for both the country's farming sector and its relationship with Brussels.