Zeybek: ND government's policies are destroying the agricultural sector
Speaking as the New Left Party’s special rapporteur and Head of Agriculture and Livestock, Zeybek emphasized the importance of the agricultural sector, stating, "The future of the farming world is far more important than the political futures of the Mitsotakis government and its ministers."
Zeybek outlined the following key points during his speech regarding the draft bill on the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI):
The agricultural policies of the New Democracy government over the past five years can be summarized as "destroying the farming world."
Prime Minister Mitsotakis failed to mention farmers at the Thessaloniki International Fair in his announcements for 2025. Moreover, no financial aid has been provided to farmers in the aftermath of last year’s wildfires in Evros or the floods in Thessaly.
The current bill on the control of PDO and PGI products has been delayed by the government and is missing essential components. It continues the bureaucracy without addressing the existing issues.
The new bill weakens enforcement, merely issuing “written warnings” for violations, whereas the previous law allowed for the revocation of certifications in cases of misconduct.
More personnel are needed to support the oversight mechanism, yet the bill does not address the shortage of staff in the responsible agencies.
PDO and PGI products are high-quality and could benefit the national and local economies, but the government has not taken advantage of this.
The government has failed to support "basma" tobacco producers in Thrace, leading to rising production costs and the near extinction of the product.
The lack of investment in key products like "basma" tobacco and the failure to incentivize local farmers have caused significant economic loss to the region.
Due to a lack of transparency, OPEKEPE (Greek Payment Authority for CAP Aid Schemes) has been fined hundreds of millions by the EU, and the institution is now under scrutiny.
The resignation of the former President of ELGO DIMITRA (Hellenic Agricultural Organization) was a result of insufficient inspections and pressure regarding direct appointments.
For the New Left Party, the future of the agricultural sector is far more important than the "political games" of the Mitsotakis government.
The New Left Party has proposed several measures to support rural income and production, including:
a) Reducing production costs, b) Protecting producer prices from unfair trade practices, c) Safeguarding farmers’ properties, d) Strengthening cooperatives, e) Implementing zero VAT on basic food products, f) Enhancing certification for the quality and identity of products.
