For «executive chaos» and a Greek Agency for Payment of Community Aid (OPEKEPE) which is considered «non-functional», said the Coordinator of Rural Development and MP for Laconia of SYRIZA, Stavros Arachovitis, in a topical question to the Minister of Rural Development and Food in Parliament.
Read the Press Release.
St. Arachovitis: «Topical Question on the OPEKEPE: The unanswered questions and the harsh reality»
The Minister of Rural Development and Food, during the debate on the topical question on OPEKEPE, did not give no specific answer whatsoever to the first question posed in Parliament by the head of the agricultural sector of SYRIZA and MP for Laconia, Mr Stavros Arachovitis, rather than reiterating what our farmers have been hearing from time to time since last December. At a time when farmers' liquidity is needed and financial support from the government is non-existent, he vaguely reiterated that the date of payment of the balance of the basic and green aid payment to our farmers will take place by June. Apart from the general amounts of 3% and 10% respectively that are yet to be paid, the individual amounts due to them and more importantly the reasons for their defaults are still unknown. However, it did not no report in the famous «Shepherds» Land of the Southwest" and the strange distribution of the National Reserve. At least farmers have learned that Single Payment Applications will expire on 22 June!
The Minister went on, after taking care with disarming honesty to inform us about the «executive» chaos he received from his predecessor, refrained from mentioning the certification of the new Candidate CIOs, who have been unlawfully excluded from the ongoing evaluation process.
As much as we may be in a good mood to understand the agony and the legal deadlocks of the Minister, what is ultimately important is the assumption that when OPEKEPE took over, it was «non-functional», while all the time claiming that everything was well done. This admission for an organisation that, under the Syriza government, paid farmers on time, defended the public interest and managed Community funds transparently, proves the responsibility of the entire government of the New Democracy for the fact that they managed to make it «non-functional» in a year and a half.
Because we stand firmly and unwaveringly next to the essential problems of producers and professionals in the field, and our concern is to safeguard the public interest and the interest of producers and not from the purse of «business interests», we recommend that he immediately dissolve all the Gordian knots inherited from the previous leadership of «aristos» and at least he should stand up to the work he has been called to perform. In such an effort we will be supportive, to any other method we will not consent, nor will we remain silent.
But the answers that the Minister himself did not give at the time of the parliamentary scrutiny, the government of the Southwest will get them from the producers when he comes the time of the poll.
You can watch the video at the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/sta.arahovitis/videos/4253543431374823
