Greece's prime minister said Sunday that alleged fraud of EU agricultural subsidies was "a chronic problem" in his country's farm sector that started before his government's mandate.

"Our government cannot take all the responsibility" in this matter, which is under investigation by the European Union, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a press conference.

He said that the fraud -- which Greek authorities estimate amounts to at least 23 million euros ($27 million) -- started in 2016, before he came to power in 2019.

The EU probe, looking into allegations that fraudulent claimants syphoned off the money in massive graft, is mainly investigating the period since Mitsotakis's conservative government took office.

EU investigators three months ago raided the Athens offices of the Greek

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