“The Ministry of Tax Administration is putting a lot of effort into paying aid of more than 700 million euros to farmers from OPEKEPE before Easter, while at the same time the liquidation of the VAT numbers of farmers that were held without control for many years and as a consequence not receiving aid that he was entitled”.
This was emphasized by the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Lefteris Avgenakis, answering questions from journalists on the sidelines of the 10th Panhellenic Conference of GAIA EPICHIIREIN, on the development of Greek agriculture, which is taking place today in Kalamata.
Mr. Avgenakis reaffirmed that the government’s decision and commitment is to bring order to OPEKEPE, underlining that the control of the seized VAT numbers continues at an unabated pace.
“Our control”, he said, “starts from 2014 and as we proceed step by step, we identify many stagnant TINs that did not receive support although they were entitled to it”, adding that, “this work will continue for subsequent payments”.
“I want to repeat”, emphasized Mr. Avgenakis, “that our government will do what it promised. It will make OPEKEPE, a household organization, reliable and farmer friendly. An organization that will operate consistently and transparently and above all in terms of justice”.
The liquidation of the TINs of farmers, who without control were kept tied up for many years, as a result of which they did not receive the support they were entitled to, continues
Trust is required
Referring to the conference, the Ministry of AAT described it as important and added: “We are here to celebrate a collaboration that we have and to ask all those involved, whether they are institutional, company executives, or representatives of other collective bodies in the primary sector, to coordinate our steps. To understand that together we can achieve much more. Trust is not something that is simply stated or described, it is something that is forged by all involved. We want relationships of trust with everyone. And with the organizers. A trust that will prove that we work purposefully for the good of the farmers we are called to serve and in the end we will do everything so that every euro, whether national or European, comes into our hands, is used in the best way and has the best results for the benefit of farmers.
This is our aim, this is our policy as a government and as the leadership of the HYPAAT and this is the mandate of the prime minister. Let’s do everything so that farmers feel more secure. For this reason, we want consistent, clean payments through OPEKEPE, which have the net of reliability first. And secondly, we want, we have worked and we are ready for a modern new ELGA regulation that will cover a large part of the concerns and insecurity”.
Finally, the minister reminded that by his decisions 2,100 runners-up joined the Young Farmers Program, with an increase in the budget by 81 million, while by his decision yesterday the budget for the Improvement Plans was increased by 125 million euros, reaching a total of 305 million euros .
