With representatives of the farmers of Thessaly meets o Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Palace after the completion of his meeting with the institutional bodies of Thessaly.

The Prime Minister, welcoming the representatives of the farmers of Thessaly, expressed his satisfaction with the fact, as he said, “that the agricultural mobilizations throughout the previous weeks were generally secular” without, as he said, any disruption of economic and social life.

As he pointed out “for the most part we agree that many of the demands of the farmers are fair and we have made a great effort to the extent that this is possible to be able to satisfy them. We still have a lot of work ahead of us”, emphasized Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“We are also taking into account the views of farmers and breeders regarding his return excise duty on agricultural oil of 2025″ added the prime minister and asserted that “what interests us is that the return is as fair and efficient as possible”.

About rural stream ehe said that “the purpose is to give predictability over time so that farmers know what the amount of electricity is to pay for their consumption.

Also, the prime minister again referred to Master Planpresented to him a few days ago by the Dutch company “HVA International” for the anti-flood protection of Thessaly, saying that “we will have to come up with a road map that will bind the government in relation to what should be done from here and beyond”.

“For the most part, there is agreement and identification regarding the interventions that need to be done,” he said.

“Ahead of the European elections, the speed of the green transition and the way in which it will be done will be a main area of ​​discussion,” he stressed.

The entire statement of the Prime Minister:

“First of all I want to express my satisfaction with the fact that the rural mobilizations throughout the previous weeks have generally been secular.

A great effort was made on the part of farmers not to disrupt economic and social life and this also concerns the rally that took place in Athens and I think that is the only way it could be, as we mostly agree that many of the demands of the farmers are fair and we have made a great effort, as far as possible, to be able to satisfy them.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us. I already understand that in the interval since the previous meeting the technical discussions have progressed and we are also taking into account the views of our farmers and ranchers regarding the return of the Excise Duty on agricultural oil. In 2025 we had this discussion last time as well, identifying a number of possible distortions or injustices.

What we care about is that the return is as fair and efficient as possible.

I will not repeat what we said last time about the issues of the rural stream.

Our goal remains to be able to provide predictability over time, so that our farmers and ranchers know how much electricity they will pay for their consumption.

The Minister is here to discuss all matters relating to compensation relating to Daniel. A while ago we also had a first meeting with the elected representatives of Thessaly as well as presidents of chambers, regarding the important infrastructure and restoration projects that need to be done in Thessaly.

The Dutch company HVA presented the summary of a very, I would say, detailed intervention plan, which will then be discussed with the Region and with the Municipalities and with the representatives of the agencies, so that we can arrive at a road map, which will bind the government in relation to what needs to be done from now on.

I emphasize that the study of HVA is a scientific work. Therefore, I would ask anyone who disagrees with her not to demonize her. People are scientists, they express their opinions, although I believe that in most cases there is an agreement and identification of opinions regarding the interventions that should be done.

And of course I must say that the discussion on the restructuring of the CAP has begun for good at many levels. At the technical level, I would say at the bureaucratic level, Greece is the only country that submitted detailed proposals to the Council of Ministers, which I think will be taken very seriously by the Commission and we may end up with a Council decision relatively soon. And I think that even in view of the European elections, the question of speed, the green transition and the way in which it will be done, will be a main area of ​​discussion.

Let me remind you again that the European People’s Party at European level – the European centre-right in other words – is the one that has always put the brakes on the Greens and the Socialists, who insisted that we run at a pace much faster than what the European primary sector could possibly do. manage.

This is simply to restore order in relation to how each political group is positioned at the European level on these issues.

We aspire after the European elections and at my level to play a leading role in the issues of the Common Agricultural Policy.

There are issues that are managed by the Ministry at the ministerial level and it is very likely that these issues will reach the European Council level as well, if more drastic decisions need to be made that require the agreement of heads of state and government.

I stop here because the purpose is for me to speak, or to hear you again.”

Meeting with institutional bodies

Earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with representatives of the rural bodies of Thessaly.

During his introduction, the Prime Minister referred to the Master Plan, presented to him a few days ago, by the Dutch company “HVA International” for the anti-flood shielding of Thessaly.

“I would like today’s meeting to be the first opportunity to present the conclusions of this study,” said Mr. Mitsotakis. As the Dutch experts pointed out, the plan “exceeds 400 pages and is the first holistic attempt to manage the problem of Thessaly’s water resources”, adding that, among other things, “it includes the way in which water resources will be managed holistically, the effects that will have in agricultural production”.

As Mr. Mitsotakis said, “more than 40 scientists from 8 specialties worked on the master plan. They spent over 15,000 hours x-raying the affected areas and recommending optimal solutions. This work was done in the field and not in the office,” he said.

He also pointed out that it would be good for projects to agree that the master plan “is a road map that we can agree on to turn a major disaster from Daniel into an opportunity to fundamentally restructure how we deal with these issues.”

Kyriakos Mitsotakis also mentioned that “we didn’t have to wait for Daniel to realize that Thessaly’s water resources are running out. But this does not mean that tomorrow we have to abandon cotton – because I also saw the statements of the regional governor of Thessaly – and go to structural interventions in agricultural production and it is unfair to highlight this dimension”.

“However, we must take our measures so that the damage that will have been done by the lack of water resources after years is irreversible” concluded the prime minister who emphasized to his interlocutors that “the difficult work now begins”.

The Regional Governor of Thessaly, Dimitris Kouretas, continued the speech, who emphasized that “we want to contribute to this common effort with documentation and work a lot in the next period”.

“From what I have seen and discussed, I believe that 90% of things are common,” added Mr. Kouretas.

As said, today’s meeting is the first of many that will follow for the final formulation of the plan for Thessaly.

The meeting was attended on behalf of the government by the Minister of Infrastructure Christos Staikouras, the Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakis, the Ministers of State Stavros Papastavrou and Akis Skertsos, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Nikos Tachiaos, the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Christos Triandopoulos , Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Yannis Bratakos and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Representative, Pavlos Marinakis.

From the institutions of Thessaly, the Regional Governor of Thessaly Dimitris Kouretas, the Mayor of Agia Antonis Goundaras, the Mayor of Almyros Dimitris Eseridis, the Mayor of Argithea Andreas Stergiou, the Mayor of Volos Achilleas Beos, the Mayor of Elassos Nikos Gatsas, the Mayor of Zagora-Muresi Kostas Karageo participated rgio , the Mayor of Meteora Lefteris Avramopoulos, the Mayor of Karditsa Vassilis Tsiakos, the Mayor of Kileler Thanasis Nasiakopoulos, the Mayor of Larissa Thanasis Mamakos, the Mayor of Plastira Panagiotis Nanos, the Mayor of Mouzaki Theofanis Stathis, the Mayor of South Pelion Michalis Mitzikos, the Mayor Palamas So states Daskalopoulos, the Mayor of Pylis Kostas Maravas, the Mayor of Riga Feraio Dimitris Nasikas, the Mayor of Sofadon Demosthenes Katsis, the Mayor of Tempo Giorgos Manolis, the Mayor of Trikkaia Nikos Sakkas, the Mayor of Tyrnavos Stelios Tsikritsis, the Mayor of Farkadonas Spyros Agnandis, the Mayor of Farsalon Makis Esq. ioglu, o President of TOEB Tauropou Thanasis Markinos, President of Trikala Chamber Vassilis Giagiakos, President of Larisa Chamber Sotiris Giannakopoulos, Secretary of Magnesia Chamber Vassilis Zahilas and Head of Entrepreneurship and Development of Karditsa Chamber, Kostas Stergoulis.

The Managing Director, Miltos Gouzouris, took part from the HVA company.