“Party-motivated” he characterized Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakis efforts to start mobilizations by farmers in Greece. From Berlin, where he participated in the World Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, in the context of the World Forum on Food and Agriculture and the international exhibition “Green Week”, Mr. Avgenakis even emphasized that the Greek government has already given the Greek farmers all this that their German colleagues have been claiming lately.

“In the last two years, approximately 160 million euros have been paid to almost 290,000 professional farmers, the VAT for the purchase of agricultural machinery has been reduced from 24% to 13%, the taxation of the profits of farmers participating in cooperative structures has been reduced by 50% , while the taxation of community aid was abolished”, said the minister. Addressing the Greek farmers, Mr. Avgenakis characteristically noted: “To all those who say, look what they are doing in Germany, we answer, see what they claim in Germany and what is happening in our country. We very promptly managed to put order and respond to what the farmers in Germany are demanding today”.

He also called on them to be wary of farmers’ representatives and “representatives” who are calling for mobilizations and to investigate who they are and what their party origins are. “All this has a party sign. The whole effort is motivated”, the minister underlined and spoke of a “short circuit” in terms of possible requests. In particular, he explained that he himself gave the order to start controls on the milk market and that EFET, ELGO-DIMITRA and officials of the ministry are still today in different places, both in supermarkets and at entry gates, in order to carry out checks on the import of milk.

However, Mr. Avgenakis assured that the government is open to any discussion and reiterated that supporting the primary sector is an absolute priority. “We are here to respect, to listen, to cooperate with all the institutions and to do the right thing. We have no reason to give ourselves to anyone, no one is keeping us. But it is a fact that we can get along more through dialogue and less through shouting,” he added.

Referring, specifically, to the farmers of Thessaly, Mr. Avgenakis reiterated the support of the government, referred to the decisions made so far on financial programs and described the reconstruction of the region as a “big bet”, both for the government and for him personally.

About her results Conference in which approximately 60 delegations participated, Lefteris Avgenakis admitted that “the food problem has not been solved” and that “the goal of no person in the world going hungry still needs a way to go”, however he noted with satisfaction the fact that the international community is discussing and that agricultural diplomacy is taking steps forward.

“The fact that we are at the same table, we submit concerns and come to a joint communique, is a success. We are all more mature, even beyond Europein terms of the goal and I am optimistic about the result”, said the minister and congratulated the organizers and specifically his German counterpart Cem Etcdemir for the perfect organization, despite the problems of the last period, with the rural mobilizations.

The Minister of Rural Development also highlighted the Greek initiative for the EUMED-9 meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of the European South, which will take place on Wednesday in Brussels, with central issues on the agenda being the climate crisis, crop failure and downy mildew and fish – invaders affecting coastal fisheries. “I am happy and proud that Greece has turned the page and is a force to be reckoned with. We have to see how the European community as a whole will work in solidarity with the member states, which face common problems. It is necessary for the European Union to create mechanisms that it does not have”, warning that what Greece is called upon to manage today in the case of Thessaly, it cannot be ruled out that in the future it will concern other member states as well.