Payments for “Daniel” will be made within the next few days as the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, stated in an interview with the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency.
The delay of a few days in the payment of the money, as he pointed out, arose in order to ensure the possibility of a correct and fairer payment “instead of a payment that will probably create the feeling of injustice”.
At the same time, Mr. Tsiaras talks regarding the goals that have been set for the primary sector in the immediate future while also referring to the initiatives that have been undertaken by the Greek side to make the Common Agricultural Policy more “friendly” to Europeans and ‘ extension of a Greek farmer.
Mr. Tsiaras appears reassuring regarding the payments of agricultural subsidies, he emphasizes that OPEKEPE has not been put under surveillance and talks in detail regarding the situation prevailing in the organization.
The interview of the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras
Q: Minister, what are the goals for the primary sector in the next period? Where will you focus?
A: My first priority is to invest more in knowledge. To invest in education and training, primarily of professional farmers, for new methods of production and plant protection. And to transfer scientific knowledge to education and training, especially of young farmers. So that they can implement new efficient methods in our agriculture and animal husbandry. Our aim is to make training and knowledge an additional productive factor, improving productivity, quality and efficiency.
At the same time, we are prioritizing the completion of legislative initiatives, such as the new operating framework of ELGA that will cover the current, special needs of farmers due to the climate crisis. Our goal is also the complete consolidation of OPEKEPE and its operation in a transparent and fair manner, in accordance with European regulations.
Q: What are the next initiatives that the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food will take to make the CAP more friendly for Greek and European farmers?
Answer: Our country has already taken initiatives by submitting 19 proposals for reforms to the current CAP. Our goal is to activate every possible alliance to pass, as soon as possible, as many of the proposals we have tabled and which have been adopted both by the European People’s Party and by the group of Mediterranean States of the EU, the well-known EU MED9 .
Prioritizing the needs of the primary sector and our society, in the immediate future we are emphasizing the promotion of the following proposals:
– 2% of the CAP budget should be allocated to deal with extreme weather events.
– Allow Member States to transfer resources between the two Pillars or from year to year depending on emerging needs.
– Simplification of ecological schemes to facilitate their application.
– Restoring the N+3 rule, which is important for completing investments and for the digital and green transition.
Q: What is the amount of money that the farmers will receive in the next period? How much will be compensation and how much support?
Answer: As you know, a series of programs of the PAA and the Recovery Fund are in progress. Also, payments from ELGA concerning repayments for the year 2023 as well as the compensations for Daniel have been planned.
Finally, in front of us are the OPEKEPE payments. All these cumulatively exceed 2 billion euros. It is money that will either cover damages and give a chance to farmers affected by disasters to get back on their feet, or it is European money that, some as aid and some as subsidies for projects and investments, will be able to contribute to the effort to strengthen primary sector.
Q: Is there a schedule for payments to Daniel? The commitment that existed for the end of June expired…
A: It is true what you point out, but a delay of a few days is preferable in order to have a proper and fair compensation, than a payment that will probably create the feeling of injustice.
We are doing the right thing and taking the necessary initiatives, whether it is in terms of services or the required legislative coverage, so that we can pay every available resource to the farmers affected by the disasters of September.
We are here to do the best for our farmers. And with actions we have proven that for Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his government, supporting farmers and the primary sector in general is a top priority.
Q: Much has been written regarding OPEKEPE and its surveillance. What is the ultimate situation? Are subsidy payments at risk?
Answer: First of all, I must make it clear that our farmers will receive the support they are entitled to in due time. Second, the myth that has been created regarding surveillance must be dispelled. OPEKEPE has not been put under surveillance. It is true that since 2016 the EU had detected malfunctions in OPEKEPE.
Unfortunately, not all the necessary steps were taken in the meantime for the consolidation of the Organization, as a result of which the problems accumulate and increase. The consequence of this is to ask the EU, the Agency to prepare a specific action plan that will provide answers to 12 questions of DG Agri (6 of them have already been answered and the rest must be answered by September 11) and to be defined, in then, jointly, the context of its operation.
This whole development is far from the logic of surveillance, in the sense that some people want to give it, mainly from the opposition. It is logical that the EU is interested in the way in which the aid it finances is distributed and for this reason we will do everything possible to advance the consolidation of OPEKEPE so that it becomes a modern European Organization that farmers can trust us.
Q.: Farmers and KYD complain that they cannot submit the IAS declarations. When will the platform be opened for KYD as well, since by general admission, the majority of IASC declarations are submitted through KYD?
A: Individuals have the possibility to submit their declarations from April 1st. As far as the technical problems faced by the system are concerned, we are sure that in the near future they will be fully addressed so that we can proceed without obstacles and problems to the autumn payments.
Q: You come from Karditsa, an area that was hit by both “Ianos” and “Daniel”. At what stage is the anti-flood planning of the region and of Thessaly in general?
Answer: We cannot see Thessaly’s anti-flood planning in isolation from the government’s decision to proceed with the operation of the Unified Water Management Agency in the region. Projects are being planned through this agency, which will not only function as irrigation but also as anti-flooding. And this is our goal for the whole country. Through unified water management bodies in each Regional unit, we must plan projects that will complement and support each other, in order to achieve the maximum possible protection, even in extreme conditions, such as those we experienced last September in Thessaly. This effort has already started in Thessaly and will be followed by the Regions of Crete, Peloponnese and Western Greece.
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