Applications that ‘they go beyond any logic»The Minister of Rural Development and Food is reported at a number and amount of amounts, Costas Tsiarasreferring to the reinforcement program of beekeepingwhich has been led to a temporary cessation of payments.

As he said in an interview with Mega, while the ministry had budgeted 18 million euros For the program-that is, above twice the same last year’s respectively-applications were launched in the record amount of 166 million euros. “Exceeded any limit“, He noted, adding that similar exaggerations were observed in organic farming, where the payment of aid has also been frozen.

The Minister revealed that a special control group has already been set up with the participation of AADE and the Financial Police in order to fully clarify his case OPECEPE and retrieve the amounts given overly. “Last week was full of meetings to organize the control model and recovery process. It is our priority“, He stressed.

“The prime minister has already assumed political responsibility”

Responding to criticism of concealment, he made it clear that the checks were not only not blocking, but were reinforced from the first moment, by order of the prime minister himself. “All complaints were transmitted immediately to the competent judicial authorities“, He said.

Mr Tsiaras pointed out that the distortions in the distribution of European aid is a chronic phenomenon and did not arise today. “The pathogens have begun in the 1980s and continued uncontrollably for decades. Now is the time to close this cycle“, He noted.

Concerning political responsibility for the situation, the minister stressed that the prime minister had already taken over. The goal is now to implement a new, stricter and fare model of payment.

Referring to the fine imposed by the European Commission on our country, he clarified that it is related to administrative errors and control and payment problems. “The fine will be partially covered by the money to be refunded and partly by optimizing the payment system. Honest farmers will continue to receive their aid normally“, He assured.