With representatives of Eof the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (ETHEAS) the deputy prime minister met earlier Kostis Hatzidakis while he received the memorandum with their requests.
The Deputy Prime Minister referred to the payment of rural aid. “We are between two different pressures. The pressure, on the one hand, of European Commission, who reasonably wants a new, reliable system – and we have publicly assumed the responsibilities that fall to us. We are therefore obliged to ensure as quickly as possible a new, reliable system. And on the other hand, we have the, also reasonable, pressures of our farmers for as timely payments as possible,” he said.
Priority of the government, noted Mr. Hatzidakis, is the payment of the basic aid and h payment of outstanding programs: “We are now on the final stretch, after making some partial payments, to proceed with the basic aid. And then in the payment of the amounts due from outstanding programs, Measure 23 for example, and a number of other such actions.”
Regarding the issue of small pox, Mr. Hatzidakis pointed out: “You know that a long time ago, an effort to coordinate as much as possible, with the participation of the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Regions and the Veterinary Schools of the country. We are not in the phase of general directions, but in the phase of controls. And specific moves are being made, to send the message that we all have to pay attention.”