The audience finds violations in the Ministry of Agriculture: Grants without programme, hidden beneficiaries and payments delay

According to the auditing report, the ministry had not drafted and adopted the Annual Grant Programme for 2025, though this is required with legislation in effect.

Auditors estimate that lack of software increases the risk of non-transparent distribution of public funds, and creates uncertainty for farmers and potential benefiters of financial support

The lack of annual grant programme increases the risk of non-transparent distribution of public funds, impacts farmers' support and development of the agricultural sector, creates uncertainty about potential beneficiaries and delays in implementing support measures. It also violates compliance with legal requirements and weakens institutional accountability”, the audit report says.

The report also shows shortcomings in publishing the lists of direct payment beneficiaries and grants from the Agency for Agriculture Development (AZHB). According to the findings, several list of beneficiaries have not been published, while several beneficiaries' names were missing on other lists, violating transparency and accountability in spending budgetary means.

The ministry annually publishes the list of beneficiaries that include, mass, sum and other relevant information for beneficiaries” in order to ensure transparency and public information. In auditing, we have calculated shortcomings in publishing the list of beneficiaries as follows: The lists of law beneficiaries for direct payments for 2025 were not published, as well as the list of grants beneficiaries of the Rural Development Programme ( 2024 for Mass 3.5 Winemaking. Other lists of PZHR grants beneficiaries in 2024 were published incompletely, as several beneficiaries were missing on published lists, listed by eight cases where beneficiaries were not included in published lists. And as for lists that were not published at all, it was identified by 21 cases or executed payments”, the report says.

The report also says that non-publicisation and full publication of beneficiary lists reduces the level of transparency and credibility of the public, limits the public's approach to information concerning budgetary spending, as well as violates compliance with legal requirements and accountability principles.

“The minister in co-ordination with the Agriculture Development Agency (AZHB) should provide timely, complete and updated publication of beneficiary lists, for direct payments and grants, placing clear procedures, effective checks and monitoring mechanisms for ensuring transparency, accountability and real-time publication of the AZB's” official website, the report reported.

The audience has found and delay in the realisation of payments for grants beneficiaries from the Rural Development Programme, despite decisions on financial support forecast that the approved sums be transferred to the beneficiary accounts within 30 days.

According to the report, in six identified cases, payments have been executed with delays ranging from 2 to 84 days after the set deadline.

The case with the greatest delay is recorded under Mass 1H Investment in the physical assets of agricultural economies, sector 1.5 (Souling) the calf. The decision was issued on November 6th 2024, while the fee of 31,552 euros was realised on February 28th 2025, with an 84-day delay.

Also, within the framework of Mass 7 ) farm diversification and business development, sector 7.5 (unfriendly activities in rural areas), a payment of 35,000 euros, has been realised on May 15th 2025, 63 days after the deadline set for February 13th 2025.

The audience has recorded other cases of smaller delays. A grant of 142,717 euros under Mass 3 for the processing of trees and vegetables has been paid by 15 days late, while payments of 99,475 euros, 98,810 euros and 99,681 euros have been realised in delays of 4, 3 and 2 days, respectively.

According to the audience's findings, delays in the execution of payments after the set deadline are the result of the lack of effective payment management control system, affecting the respect of the previous deadlines for grant beneficiaries, writes Indexline, broadcast Periscopi.