Regarding OPEKEPE payments and the goal to complete them by the end of the week, compensation for Storm Daniel damage scheduled for December, as well as the sheep and goat pox outbreak, Minister of Agricultural Development Kostas Tsiaras spoke today, Tuesday (25/11). Specifically, speaking to SKAI, when initially asked if he would read Mr. Tsipras’s book, he answered “I don’t think so.” “I have lived through the reality that Mr. Tsipras is trying to describe. So more or less everything is known. We know what the reality is, no matter how much someone tries either to beautify it or present it from their own perspective. Reality and truth are one. And unfortunately, it is neither so pleasant nor so favorable for the former prime minister,” he noted.
Subsequently, regarding whether there is a case file containing his name in the OPEKEPE scandal, Kostas Tsiaras replied: “I couldn’t be aware of such a thing because that would exceed the process itself. Obviously, I have seen the publications. Everyone has their opinion about all this; I have mine.”
Regarding whether he himself is involved, he responds: “If one considers that MPs coming from agricultural constituencies have never communicated with OPEKEPE, that would be utopian. That is the truth. To ask why someone is delayed 5 years in receiving a subsidy or to ask procedural questions, I don’t think these are issues that could be put in a logic of criticism.”
Kostas Tsiaras: During December we have a series of payments
“With an OPEKEPE that functioned problematically in previous years and with MPs coming from agricultural constituencies, obviously the reason and need arose to ask, to be informed why there are citizens who might not have received fair treatment, and this is within the work and obligation of every MP,” he continued and added: “All these are issues that will be proven with whatever evidence may be brought by the judicial investigation, and there everyone will obviously have their own say.”
Also, regarding farmers preparing mobilizations on Sunday with roadblocks and asked about payments, Mr. Tsiaras replied: “We have said for some time that our goal is to give the advance of basic support by the end of the month. We are absolutely focused on this goal. Unimaginable efforts are being made, daily meetings, hours-long meetings, so that payment will be made by the end of the week. I think that’s where we are today.”
“I don’t comment on farmers’ decisions, but if the reason is payments, because we set the timeline some time ago anyway, then they should wait to see. The basic payment will be made and immediately after follows the payment of measure ’23. During December we have a series of payments, Daniel compensations, plant capital reconstruction due to Daniel in Thessaly, we have general ELGA compensations, which will be paid earlier than ever before, and we have the settlement of the 2024 basic support,” he continued.
Speaking about today’s OPEKEPE, Mr. Tsiaras mentioned: “It operates within a framework and the bill is being tabled today to be voted on before Parliament closes for Christmas, in order to be incorporated into AADE from 1/1/2026. This is the path. Today, however, OPEKEPE will make payments through cross-checks, through all the data that AADE can contribute cross-referentially for each beneficiary producer, so there are no issues and we operate with maximum possible transparency in the transitional period. (…) The issues are many. For livestock farming, we cannot remain with the old virtual pastures to know what the reality is.”
Regarding reforms, he said that “at the end of the day they will function in favor of honest producers and this is the big question. The money that will not be given will return to actual production and will be given additionally to honest producers.”
Kostas Tsiaras on pox outbreak: One of the most important viral diseases that can affect our livestock
Additionally, regarding the sheep and goat pox outbreak, Kostas Tsiaras said it “is one of the most important viral diseases that can affect our livestock. And we have sounded the alarm bell of vigilance many times, with a series of biosafety measures that must be implemented and observed, with administrative acts concerning the Ministry of Agricultural Development, giving direction and specific guidelines but also with the urgent need for cooperation among all involved.
At this moment we are indeed at a critical point with a quite significant number of animal deaths and with a disease that has a difficult, peculiar epidemiological model and we are called to address it with cooperation. We must all put all our forces to close the cycle of pox, especially in the coming period since winter is conducive to limiting the number of cases. Greece provides the highest compensation for animal culling compared to any other European country. The average is 90-95 euros; the highest compensation in Greece is 250 euros. Compensations have been given for animal feed, the prime minister announced emergency financial support for livestock farmers whose animals have been culled, and we are here to address every issue concerning livestock farmers during this difficult period.”
Finally, regarding vaccination, the minister emphasized that “it has been referred to the National Scientific Committee, which was established a month ago and is staffed by the country’s best scientists.”
