By Penelope Galliou

Another critical ministry that is directly connected to the daily lives of citizens is visited today at 10 am by the Prime Minister, underlining the priorities of the government’s work related to the primary sector and which do not only concern national policy-making but are also high on the European agenda. At the center of the meeting of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with the new leadership of the ministry, the priority of restructuring the primary sector is expected to be found, without excluding the announcement of new initiatives to support farmers and breeders.

A ministry that found itself at the center of criticism and dissatisfaction, as it is involved with the disasters suffered by the largest plain of the country, the Thessalian plain, from the “Daniel” disaster, but also with the effects that the new CAP but also the climate crisis, requiring provisions and policies of prevention and shielding.

Besides, it belongs to the Ministries that “changed hands” during the recent restructuring, with Kostas Tsiaras taking over the duties of the former minister, Lefteris Avgenakis. For the new minister as well as for the government’s targeting, the primary sector is full of challenges and the message Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent to every ministry without exception is “speed and efficiency”.

The fronts that the new minister has to face are quite a few, the main ones being the safeguarding of agricultural community aid, the new CAP which has European dimensions and the restoration of Thessaly. Issues that must be immediately launched as they concern thousands of people and respectively, “move” or keep the primary sector “stagnant”.

The priorities of the new leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development include other issues related to the increased cost of production, the low prices of products for those who produce and their simultaneous release on the shelf, market controls and the imposition of sanctions on those who commit illegal acts, Greekization etc. These are issues that hold back the development and competitiveness of Greek agriculture. “The goal of the Ministry of Agricultural Development is to protect agricultural products and food, to enhance their quality, to limit illegal Greekizations and to ensure better information for consumers,” the minister, Kostas Tsiaras, said in a statement.

For all of this, the Prime Minister is expected to give the guidelines today, during his visit to the ministry and to give the impression of the interventions that will be followed by the new leadership to strengthen its areas of responsibility.

Legislatively, however, the new leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development is expected to make a “footstep” with the bill for the new sanctioning framework for ” PDO – Protected Designation of Origin”, ” PGI – Protected Geographical Indication” or ” EPIP – Guaranteed Traditional Unique Products”.

The specific bill addresses the issues that make it difficult to monitor the implementation of the national and EU framework, for PDO/PGI/PGI products, by clarifying the responsibilities of each control authority, in order to make controls more effective and efficient.

Among other things, obligations are also provided for those who wish to produce, transport, package for the purpose of marketing, PDO/PGI/EPIP agricultural products or food, as well as for companies producing, packaging, marketing agricultural products. Also included is the creation of a Register of Approved Businesses and Beneficiaries of Use of PDO/PGE/EPIP Indications with the aim of the proper execution of the audit work of ELGO – DIMITRA. The aim is to operate a register of businesses that have joined the control system after the relevant certification has been granted.