MEP Atidje Aliyeva – Veli with a question to Commissioner Wojciechowski

MEP Atidje Aliyeva - Veli with a question to Commissioner Wojciechovski for adequate financing of farmers and rural municipalities

The MEP from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms / "Renew Europe", Atige Aliyeva-Veli, asked questions about the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy to Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, responsible for the portfolio of agriculture, during an exchange of views in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in European Parliament.

Aliva-Veli asked the Commissioner, who took over the Agriculture sector after the inauguration of the new Commission in December, "how synergy will be ensured between the different lines of funding, referring to the CAP, the Bioeconomy and Biodiversity Strategies, the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy ', bearing in mind that related reports will be considered at different times?" In addition, the MEP also highlighted the Commissioner's expressed willingness to defend the CAP budget and push for its increase, asking specifically about the increase and whether it would only affect activities related to agriculture or there would be opportunities to finance projects in rural areas as well.

„With my colleagues in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, we have united in the request to preserve the Common Agricultural Policy budget, but also to use it effectively, as well as to provide financial and technical support to farmers so that they can respond to the new requirements that will be placed on them with the proposals under the Green Pact and the Strategy "From the farm to the table", the MEP pointed out, adding "Supporting farmers is extremely important for DPS, but supporting rural municipalities is equally important for us. We must not forget that the CAP also supports many investments in non-agricultural activities to improve the quality of life and services in rural municipalities, which are significantly lagging behind digitalization and the implementation of environmental protection measures. It is precisely so that we can guarantee the development of these regions and the citizens living in them, that I insist that the European support continues."

In response, Commissioner Wojciechowski reaffirmed his readiness to defend the preservation and possibly increase of the CAP budget, but admitted that he does not have the support of the national governments of all Member States. He stated that alternatives and a fair balance are being sought, pointing out the need to effectively use the instruments offered by the Cohesion Fund.

I did not receive particularly specific answers to the questions I asked, but I am ready to use all the tools and parliamentary procedures for more clarity regarding the future of agriculture in Bulgaria, the development of rural areas and the satisfaction of Bulgarian consumers with access to quality, nutritious local produce fair prices.