AgriMin: SaS Wants to Destroy Slovak Agriculture Again
Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) – The Opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has once again confirmed that it’s in the party’s interest to destroy Slovak agriculture and replace domestic food with foreign products, stated Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry spokesman Vladimir Machalik on Monday in response to SaS claims that by changing the date from which new half-fermented wine can be officially sold from August 15 to August 6, the ministry has violated the law.
The alcoholic beverage ‘burciak’, or new half-fermented wine, can only be sold in Slovakia between August 15-December 31 in order to protect domestic winegrowers against importing the beverage or grapes from countries in which burciak can be produced earlier. However, due to early hot weather this year, Slovak grapes have ripened earlier, so the Agriculture Ministry decided to issue an exception for the sale of burciak. This year winegrowers can sell their sweet wine beverage as early as on August 6.
According to SaS teamleader for agriculture Jarmila Halgasova, by changing the date the ministry has violated the law, as “the law on viniculture and wine growing doesn’t give the ministry any power to grant exceptions for selling burciak earlier.” Halgasova added that the ministry is also in breach of the Constitution, which states that the state authorities can only act within the limits set by the law.
“Mrs. Halgasova clearly confirms her long-time interest in lobbying for supranational food companies in Slovakia. SaS has adopted the same stance in the issue of double quality in foodstuffs, as it keeps claiming that double quality doesn’t exist,” said Machalik.
SaS wants winegrowers to be allowed to sell burciak as of August 1 every year, as is the case in the neighbouring Czech Republic. The party claims that given climate change and global warming it’s the only solution possible. SaS wants to submit a draft law to this effect to Parliament.
