Government weighs aid package for farmers

The authorities is weighing a caller support bundle for farmers arsenic outgo delays and livestock illness pressures mount, Agriculture Minister Kostas Tsiaras told ruling New Democracy enactment lawmakers Wednesday.

Tsiaras briefed legislators astatine enactment office connected two captious issues facing the cultivation sector.

First, helium explained delays successful payments from OPEKEPE, the cultivation payments organization, attributing them to rigorous EU audits conducted for the archetypal clip that caught the Greek state mechanics unprepared successful “a demanding and time-consuming process.”

Lawmakers expressed concerns astir imaginable backing losses if Greece fails to conscionable EU requirements. The curate said this hazard doesn’t beryllium “provided the state does everything it should and afloat complies with Brussels’ directives.”

The cultivation assemblage believes that “along with the guilty, the guiltless are paying the price” owed to fraudsters, legislators noted.

The 2nd contented acrophobic livestock illness outbreaks. Lawmakers insisted connected a “Covid-type package,” arguing that existent compensation is inadequate since herd replacement isn’t feasible while illness persists.

They stressed the request for “longer-term support so those affected don’t collapse.” Despite difficulties, OPEKEPE began payments Wednesday for integrated farming and beekeeping.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Christos Kellas said payments would proceed for remaining 2024 programs, “including the redistributive YOUNG programme and the wine and beekeeping program. We’ll beryllium finished by Christmas.”

According to sources, Internal Affairs and Financial Police proceed reviewing 50,000 tax recognition numbers, with the authorities acknowledging delays impact “honest farmers, who are the majority.”