Extension to the program for cheap rural electricity

The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was at the Ministry of Rural Development on Friday morning, who met with the new minister Kostas Tsiaras and they laid out the steps that need to be taken to close the wounds that were opened in the previous period.

In the statements made by the Prime Minister and Costas Tsiaras after the end of the meeting, they focused on the challenges they have to face for the primary sector and the speed with which they must move to find solutions.

In his speech, Mr. Mitsotakis said: “Good strength to the new political leadership of the ministry. We have proven in practice that we stand by the people of toil, addressing structural issues related to the cost of production. I should point out that all these five years an important work has been done which must be continued, but also accelerated. We have proved in practice that we stand by the people of toil, addressing the issues related to the cost of production and meeting the fair demands of the farmers. I am referring to the new mechanism for refunding the Excise Tax on oil. I am also referring to the cheapest electricity that has not been announced and that is why we will extend the relevant program.

“The leadership pointed out to me something that I did not know, that the problems we face with the multinationals in the food sector, it seems that we also face them in the pesticide sector… These practices will not be tolerated. This effort will be continued by me personally. The green transition is a reality. It must be done quickly, without unnecessary bureaucracy, without strangling producers and especially small producers” continued the prime minister and added: “A big challenge for the primary sector is the investment in quality and international protection. We have an obligation to keep the young farmers, the young ranchers, the young fishermen. There is a need to modernize two organizations, ELGA and OPEKEPE”.

“It is a non-negotiable rule for the government: Subsidies are collected by those who are entitled to them. I am optimistic that the future of the primary sector is auspicious” he concluded.

For his part, Kostas Tsiaras said that “it is obvious that the presence of the prime minister here demonstrates his huge interest in the primary sector. New challenges are added to the known problematic situations recorded from the past. The prime minister has given us specific directions based on a specific government plan that says we need to move quickly in the direction of major changes and reforms.”

He also added that the primary sector is facing major challenges such as climate change, increased production costs and the new CAP.

Finally, Mr. Tsiaras noted that an order was given by the Prime Minister “to stand by the people of the labor and make their lives easier”.

It is noted that the meeting that lasted an hour and a half was attended by, among others, the Minister of State, Akis Skertsos, the Deputy Ministers to the Prime Minister, Thanasis Kontogiorgis and Giorgos Mylonakis, the Deputy Ministers of Agricultural Development and Food, Dionysis Stamenitis and Christos Kellas, the of Coordination at the Presidency of the Government, Evi Dramaliotis, the of YPAAT, Giorgos Stratakos, Costas Baginetas and Dimitris Papagiannidis, the president of ELGA, Andreas Lykourentzos, the president of OPEKEPE, Kyriakos Babasidis and officials of YPAAT.