Request to convene the Standing Committee on Production and Tradeon the occasion of the huge horizontal cuts in the advance payment of the Basic Support to farmers and breeders, but also for the revision of the Strategic Plan of our country in the context of the new Common Agricultural Policy, addressed the head of the Department for Rural Development and Food and MP for Larisa of SYRIZA – Progressive Mr. Alliance Vasilis Kokkalis and eight more deputies of the official opposition.

In the request to the president of the Committee, the following are specifically stated: “With this document, we request the convening of the Standing Committee on Production and Trade, with the participation of the competent Minister of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Avgenakis Eleftheriou, the members of the Committee , to answer and brief committee members on the huge issue of reducing farm subsidies. In particular, after the public admission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the main reason for the reduction of agricultural subsidies was a product of negotiations by the previous leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and therefore of the National Strategic Plan proposed by our country, he is asked to inform the members of the committee and the primary sector of the country on the following questions:

  • What measures does the Government intend to take immediately in order to restore the consequences, which Greek farmers suffered unnecessarily and without any information from the implementation of the specific National Strategic Plan, during the first year of implementation of the new CAP 2023-2027?
  • The Government intends, on this basis, to ask the competent services of the European Commission to amend the National Strategic Plan of the new CAP 2023-2027 in those areas that created the problems in question (e.g. the reduction of the budget of the Agricultural Region of “Pastures” by 27%, against 19% and 17% of the “Permanent” and “Arable” counterparts) or in options that are expected to cause problems in the near future (eg implementation of “Ecological Schemes”)? And if so, the amended National Strategic Plan to be submitted, this time, will be the result of a substantial and multi-participatory public consultation that will highlight the new challenges, possibilities and perspectives of Greek agriculture and animal husbandry, based on sustainable production approaches and stricter conditions to ensure food safety, hygiene and quality?

Also, in this amendment, measures and interventions will be included for the rehabilitation of the affected areas of Thessaly, Evros and Evia and if so, what exactly will these be?

  • Is there a specific timetable for the payment of the remaining 30% of the basic aid, ecological schemes, redistributive aid and linked aid, with valid and transparent procedures?
  • The Government intends, and with what initiatives and measures, to ensure the orderly, efficient and effective operation of OPEKEPE, so that the Organization pays the EU subsidies validly, on time and with absolute transparency , with sufficient technical support, managerial competence and good administrative functioning, while preventing the possibility of the imposition of unreasonable financial corrections-fines by the EU?

In their statement, the nine MPs – members of the Standing Committee – Trade emphasize that “the FSA Mr. Avgenakis must immediately inform the Hellenic Parliament and the primary sector about the Review of the Strategic Plan, the negotiation of which was carried out by his previous leadership YPAAT – always according to the public admission of the current YPAAT – cost tens of millions to farmers and ranchers.
As SYRIZA- P.S. we await the convening of the Production and Trade Committee, in order to submit viable and fair proposals for the Revision of the Strategic Plan of the New CAP.”

The request is also co-signed by Mr. Alekos Avlonitis, Vetta Kalliopi, Giannoulis Christos, Zambaras Miltiadis, Kedikoglou Simeon, Mamoulakis Haris, Pappas Nikos and Tzakri Theodora.