Agriculture

Stefanec: Minister Matecna Incompetent, Resignation Only Recourse

Bratislava, December 19 (TASR) – Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Gabriela Matecna (Slovak National Party/SNS) has displayed her incompetence and should step down, as she’s failing to address issues bedevilling the Slovak countryside, said Christian Democrat (KDH) party MEP Ivan Stefanec in a statement on Thursday.

Stefanec is part of the current European Parliament Mission in Slovakia. “During talks with farmers in eastern Slovakia, it has come to light that minister Matecna has ignored for years extensive fraud with agricultural subsidies and the dislodging of farmers from their own land. This causes damage not only to the aggrieved individuals, but also to the entire Slovak agriculture and food industry,” he stressed.

The fraud with EU money that the European Parliament Mission came to investigate are of such large scope that officials must be aware of them. “Gabriela Matecna is failing to handle her Government portfolio, and instead of addressing issues and protecting small farmers, she’s making heavy-handed attempts to deflect attention. This is unbecoming of her office, and she would do best to resign and stop blocking the investigation into all the serious allegations that murdered journalist Jan Kuciak wrote about,” claimed Stefanec.

MEPs from the Committee for Budgetary Control are visiting Slovakia between December 17-19 to look into the misuse of EU agricultural subsidies. The delegation is slated to meet Matecna, representatives of the Agricultural Payment Agency, NGOs, investigative journalists and the Special Prosecutor.

Takac: Police Launch Criminal Investigation, Infested Wood Being Extracted Urgently

The police have already launched a criminal investigation regarding the failure to address the bark-beetle infestation in Banska Bystrica region, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac, who filed a criminal complaint in this connection in May, told a news conference on Monday.

SPPK: If Farmers Aren't Taken Seriously, They Will Be Seen in Streets More Often

If farmers' demands are not taken seriously, they will be seen in the streets more often, Slovak Agriculture and Food Chamber chairman Emil Macho told a news conference held in front of the Parliament's building on Thursday.

Matovic Attends Online Summit with Xi, Protocol on Lamb Meat Export Signed

Bratislava, February 9 (TASR) – This year will be one of co-operation in agricultural diversity between China and countries of Central and Eastern Europe, with Slovakia having signed a protocol on exports of lamb meat to China, Slovakia’s Government Office told TASR on Tuesday. The protocol was signed during an

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