The steps to be taken by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food to clean it up OKAY and the imposition of transparency rules in its operation with a time horizon of the end of 2026, analyzed the Ministry of Anti-Corruption, Kostas Tsiaras in an interview with Aris Portosalte, on SKAI 100.3 radio.

First step is the fact that for the first time in OPEKEPE there is a technical advisor after competition and not through project assignments that operated departmentally and created issues in the transparent operation of the Organization, the minister emphasized. As he explained, questions about possible opacity are created, mainly by the fact that European aid is distributed to some who may not be entitled to it. And this is everyone’s eternal responsibility, he noted, because until now there were no standardized procedures that guarantee transparency in the payment of resources. “The information system is now under the management of OPEKEPE”he noted.

Second step is or strengthening controlswhich may be improved by changing the beneficiary selection regime. As he said, there must be a different approach to the operation of the Organization and the procedures applied, so that the aid is not paid to those who have the so-called historical rights but to the real producers. That is, as he explained, “to return to the previous regime because through the production balances, a check can be made on what and how much each producer produces”.

As third stepwhich will work in the same direction of the consolidation of OPEKEPE, Mr. Tsiaras, mentioned the implementation of Grazing Management Plans, which has been delayed.

The timetable for the implementation of the Action Plan for the consolidation of OPEKEPE, which since September, as he reminded, has been placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, is the end of 2026, as, as he emphasized “All these procedures have already been launched. There is no magic button that will change everything.” The minister noted that the problem at OPEKEPE is perennial and that corresponding Organizations in other countries face similar problems. He also noted that the big bet of his presence at the FSAAT is the consolidation of the specific Organization, regardless of what reactions there may be.

“Obviously when things change, there are reactions. But we are at a point where Greece has to prove to the European Commission that it is making steady progress. But our biggest bet is to maintain the uninterrupted flow of resources to Greek producers, through terms of transparency and justice”.

He also said that the fines are far from reality, although there are discussions about it. He emphasized that recent progress has been made, recalling that since October, nine payments have been made, the most of any other time.

Regarding the block of some farmers in E65recalled that both issues raised to the Prime Minister in March were satisfied. As a result, farmers will join the cheap agricultural stream and the return of 100% of the Special Consumption Tax on agricultural oil will be legislated, for the first time.

The entire interview of Mr. Ciara: