According to the president of the Chamber of Agriculture, the European food security and agricultural support system will be threatened if Ukraine becomes an EU member

By: STA Date: 2023. 12. 11. 09:00

According to the president of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK), Ukraine’s EU membership would certainly bring about drastic changes for European, including Hungarian, agriculture, since the entry of Ukraine into the Union, which has an agricultural area equal to about one-third of the territory of the EU, would fundamentally overturn the current support and food security system.

Speaking to MTI on Friday, Balázs Győrffy stated: Ukraine is currently in no way suitable to be a member of the European Union, the consequences of the country’s EU membership are unforeseeable for European, including Hungarian, agriculture. The president of the chamber believed that Ukraine would not even be able to meet the expectations that EU farmers and food producers have to meet. Balázs Győrffy expressed his displeasure in the event that Ukraine could become a member of the EU without having to comply with all regulations and laws that are expected of EU farmers. This would result in a competitive situation where producers and their products are placed on the market with unequal opportunities – he indicated.

Several countries have been working for admission for years

According to the president of NAK, the suggestion that Ukraine be accepted by the EU in a simplified form is unworthy of those countries that have been trying to meet the strict requirements demanded by the union for years or even decades. Referring to the Balkan region, he reminded: these countries are making serious efforts to be able to fulfill the tasks given to them by the Union. At the same time, he pointed out: while the negotiation period related to the enlargement is unreasonably prolonged for the latter, membership is being offered completely incomprehensible and unprepared for Ukraine. “The operation of the European Union so far is discredited if we do not offer membership to the individual member states based on the same procedure and principles,” stated the NAK president. “We categorically reject this and ask the government and, through the government, the leaders of the European Union not to allow Ukraine to enter the European Union in this form,” stated Balázs Győrffy. Ukraine should prepare for EU membership as all candidate countries have done so far, and if it has done so, then there is something to talk about. At the moment, we cannot even take this seriously as a topic – said the NAK president.

MTI