“The fair mobilizations of the farmers highlight a very important issue: The risk of the collapse of agricultural production in our country” emphasized the president of the parliamentary group of the New Left, Alexis Haritsis, concluding the visit to the Agrotica branch exhibition at the Thessaloniki International Fair.

“Greece is a country that must produce. It is a country that must first support its farmers and breeders,” said Mr. Haritsis and added: “Yesterday, the New Left brought to Parliament the prime minister, Mr. Mitsotakis, to answer our topical question about the disasters in Thessaly and the future of agricultural production.Unfortunately, the Prime Minister chose to respond by announcing measures, which are completely inadequate for the magnitude of the problem.

Mr. Haritsis criticized the government and the prime minister for the support measures for farmers.

“It takes – I must point out – and political audacity to announce new compensations, at a time when the compensations from Janos 3.5 years ago have not yet been paid, to announce as an aid measure the payment of community compensations, which in any case is provided for our country and gives every year” said Mr. Haritsis and continued: “However, it also takes political audacity to distort reality, because Mr. Mitsotakis tried to blame the Common Agricultural Policy, due to its environmental provisions. but the problem is different and the reality is different”.

The chairman of the New Left parliamentary group also criticized the CAP’s predictions, saying: “The Common Agricultural Policy is unfair, it is bureaucratic and it does not link the green transition with social justice.”

Finally, Mr. Haritsis presented the proposals of the New Left for the agricultural world and Greek agricultural production.

“We, as the New Left, submit our proposals for the reduction of production costs for oil, for electricity and for the support of farmers against the cartels that destroy their production, destroy the marketing of their products,” said Mr. Haritsis and continued:

“Therefore, first of all, a revision of the national strategic plan for the implementation of the CAP is required, so that, quickly and consistently, the aid that our farmers should receive is given. A complete revision of the ELGA regulation is also required, so that the new conditions created by the climate crisis, to provide for the necessary compensations for cases such as crop failure, and not to push farmers, as the Mitsotakis government is doing today, towards private insurance. It is necessary to strengthen the control mechanisms to put a brake on illegal Greekizations. In order for our products to gain the market place they deserve. A plan to reduce energy costs is of course also needed, which will also include the creation of energy communities and support to farmers for photovoltaic installations, and of course not the electrical space should be given only to large multinational groups, as the Mitsotakis government is doing today. And finally, the utilization of the financial tools that the country has at its disposal, guarantee funds, microcredits, is required, so that with the guarantee of the Greek State, the Greek farmer has access to cheap financing”.

“If all these necessary reforms are not carried out, we cannot talk about the future of Greek production, we cannot talk about the future of the agricultural world in our country,” underlined the president of the New Left parliamentary group. “We want the products produced to be upgraded, for the Greek farmer to be able to stand up to the tough international competition and of course to ensure the food sufficiency of the population. We are fighting for all of this, for all of this we are submitting our proposals, for all of this we brought the prime minister in the Parliament, for all this we will continue to exercise control over the government”.