The Visegrád Four are acting together in the interests of farmers against Brussels

(Photo: AM)

The Minister explained that the determination shown by farmers at the Brussels demonstration in December cannot be ignored by the European Commission, which is why it initiated a crisis meeting with the EU’s agricultural ministers. Our position is clear: farmers are right, as Brussels’ measures so far have caused a significant competitive disadvantage and are also endangering their future and livelihood. The Brussels-Ukraine free trade agreement, the planned reduction of agricultural subsidies, and the EU-Mercosur trade agreement could mean the execution of European agriculture, which we cannot allow. It is unacceptable that the payment of Common Agricultural Policy funds be tied to perceived or real political expectations independent of agriculture. Food security cannot be made part of everyday political games, he added.

István Nagy emphasized that the Hungarian position is clear

The current EU agricultural support system and the funds due to farmers must be preserved, and we cannot let the producers’ money be taken and then given to Ukraine. A Common Agricultural Policy with a separate budget and based on two pillars is still needed, because this serves to preserve the competitiveness of farmers and maintain food security, the head of the agricultural ministry underlined.

AM