Premier: Agriculture Ministry Has Already Met 40% of Manifesto Objectives

Bratislava, 20 May (TASR) - The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry has already fulfilled 40 percent of the measurable tasks resulting from the government manifesto, said Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday following a meeting with Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (both Smer-SD). The ministry is functioning very well, although the current minister took it over in a bad state, said the premier. "Ladies and gentlemen, we took over the Agriculture Ministry in what I would call a state of natural disaster," said Fico, adding that he considers seven points to have been fulfilled, such as stabilising the agricultural sector with a focus on social dialogue, a functioning accredited Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA), which has already paid out €1.175 billion to farmers, and restoring trust in the Slovak Land Fund. The prime minister listed state aid schemes among other targets met. "We've always been of the opinion that agriculture cannot rely only on money coming from the European Union, but that the state must be interested in preparing state aid schemes for farmers within the state resources of the state budget," said Fico. In 2024 there were ten schemes and a total of €82 million was paid out. "For the first time in several years, in addition to traditional schemes such as green diesel, the Agriculture Ministry has prepared other new schemes, there is a scheme for plant breeding, then there's a scheme for marketing support for food producers and a scheme for regional investment aid to support the food industry," added the prime minister. am/df