The PASOK MEP asked for better utilization of the CAP tools and strengthening of rural social cohesion Nikos Papandreou who accused the government of not having a road map for rural development.

At the event on “Regional and Rural Development: Challenges and Prospects” organized in Tripoli on Sunday March 24 by the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats of the European Parliament at the initiative of Mr. Papandreou, the PASOK MEP emphasized that in order to face major challenges such as climate change, “we must invest in innovation and technology, promote education and vocational training in the agricultural sector and support young farmers and small farms”.

The PASOK MEP also referred to the latest farmers’ mobilizations pointing out that during the February session of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council it was decided that measures should be implemented for greater flexibility in the application of CAP rules, but he criticized the government for not having proposals and solutions.

“What producer will continue to produce when he is deprived of benefits and services necessary for the matters of everyday life and when he is burdened with an immense bureaucracy? For all this, proposals and solutions are needed, which unfortunately the Greek government did not plan,” said the PASOK MEP.

The event was also attended by Odysseas Konstantinopoulos, MP PASOK-KIN.AL., Korina Kretsou, (video intervention), MEP S&D, former Regional Development Commissioner, Georgios Zakynthinos, (M.Sc,Ph.D) professor of Security and Development Technology of Functional Foods at the University of Western Attica, George Markopoulos, general manager of the Agricultural Livestock Cooperative of Arcadia “THE UNION” and Marilena Panagopoulou, wine producer.