The Minister of Rural Development, Kostas Tsiaras, spoke to SKAI, among others, about the vision in the primary sector and the compensations for the victims of Thessaly.

Regarding Thessaly and the compensations, he spoke of a disaster of enormous extent and with a number of affected people that has never been recorded before in Greek history. He stated that “really very brave compensations have been given to the citizens who saw their homes lost and destroyed and to the people in the primary sector through ELGA. Of course there are restitution balances and there are still farm files, which have not been completed. This is a reality” and added that:

“If we are talking about tens of thousands of people and if we are talking about a process or an event that we have never faced as a Greek state, that this cannot have the result that everyone expects. Consider that because of Janos, the Greek state, with the decision of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, somehow managed to integrate all these agencies and organizations that were dealing with such issues under the supervision of the Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection. Consider that there was not even such a mechanism earlier and today when we are talking to a really huge number of beneficiaries, you see that there is compensation being paid, that there is an effort to relieve the people and of course that effort continues. I repeat once again, I do not claim that all problems have been solved. But there is clear progress and there is finally a state that stands by the Greek producer, the Greek farmer. He stands by the Greek citizen after such phenomena. And this is a recorded fact.”

He also referred to a “productive vision”, a vision for the primary sector, so that in the coming years it will follow a path that will also ensure incomes for Greek farmers, will provide surplus value for the Greek economy and will also create a legacy which will put the primary sector as a priority of all policies.

As he stated “we must finally define a productive model for the country. And we cannot stick to a logic that comes from the past and this is not a reproach to anyone. We can no longer farm for Community aid. We must cultivate for the product itself and for its quality. And this is a more general strategy, which is now firmly proposed by the European Union. The faster we take steps to move towards the axes proposed by the European Commission, the faster we will be able to exploit our comparative advantages and of course draw even more Community resources. It’s a big bet, it’s also my personal bet”, he characteristically stated and added:

“I believe that in consultation, in cooperation with the agricultural world and with the agencies involved, we will be able to draw up a national strategy for the primary sector in the next period of time and create a real discussion for professional farmers and for the identity of the agricultural land, but mainly for the determination of the production model of the country”
Regarding the case of Mr. Avgenakis, he himself stated that there is a principle that these behaviors are not tolerated. “And we, at least as New Democracy, as an open democratic party, which confirms its principles over time, and we confirm it too. Contrary to those who criticize and who every time come to say why one thing happens and why the other happens. I think we are turning a page. We move forward each time confirming our consistency in principles and our own values”.

Regarding the case of Mr. Avgenakis, he himself stated that there is a principle that these behaviors are not tolerated. “And we, at least as New Democracy, as an open democratic party, which confirms its principles over time, and we confirm it too. Contrary to those who criticize and who every time come to say why one thing happens and why the other happens. I think we are turning a page. We move forward each time confirming our consistency in principles and our own values”