Triantopoulos: At 12.8m euros state aid for plant capital losses in Laconia

At 12.8m euros the state aid so far for losses of plant capital in , as the Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, responsible for the rehabilitation of natural disasters and the State Aid . In response to a question from MP Laconias of the New Republic, Athanasios Davakis, Mr Triantopoulos, noted among others: “The question concerns the hybrid shape that we formed together with the ELGA to respond to the needs created after the 2021 fires—needs for farmers who could not cover the framework of State Economic Aid, the KHOEs, the BCEAs. What did we receive in 2019 to cover losses on fixed and plant capital? So, the trees that were being destroyed? A scheme characterised by compensation after 4 – 5 years without advance, low levels of compensation with static tariffs many years ago, many and strict restrictions on beneficiaries, many exclusions of losses from the coverage sphere, narrow upper limits of compensation, that do not meet the needs” and added that “it was the regime that, at its hearing, farmers were – the least- extreme cautious and pessimistic.” Triantopoulos then pointed out: “We formed something new, hybrid. We have joined state aid and the primary sector. That is, the fixed, the equipment, the means of production, the land capital, but also the plant capital – the trees. A framework characterised by first aid and advance payments amounting to up to 50% of aid in the case of plant capital, high levels of compensation, without the limitations of the COEs (e.g. PSEAs), covering all elements (and those that were in the COEs and those that were not in the COEs) and without a maximum grant for the plant capital.” As Mr Triantopoulos said, this is also implemented in the case of the 2021 fires in Eastern Mani, as in the other areas of that period. “To date, for the 2021 fires, 7 joint ministerial decisions have been adopted. The first KYA advance was published in April 2022 and 30m euros have since been paid to the main occupation farmers and 12.5m euros to non-professional farmers. In total, more than EUR 42 million has been paid and we continue. And of these 12.8m euros they concern Laconia, for more than 410,000 trees. And the implementation of the scheme continues,” he stressed and added that “the next year, the issuance of the CFD is expected, based on the final findings of the ELGA. With the prices of compensation on olive trees, other trees, vines and aromatic plants being much higher, they should be multiple, than the previous regime. And the amount of compensation should be proportionate to the severity of the damage, as the rehabilitation work is similar.” Moreover, Mr Triantopoulos stressed that there is also a distinction between productive and non-productive trees. ‘The plan of the CYA is being processed by the Directorate of State Aid, in cooperation with the competent services of the ELGA and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food and will be published in the following period. And the payment of the final grant will follow depending on the course of restorations and the flow of information from the ELGA,” he concluded. Source: RES-AE