Agriculture minister ahead of farmers' protests: 'Dialogue the best way to solve problems'
"Dialogue is the best way to solve problems," Greece's Rural Development and Foods Minister Stavros Arachovitis said in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) published on Sunday, one day before Greek farmers promised to launch protest action on Greek highways to press their demands.
"I believe that, if there is a display of good will and this government's record up until now is taken into account, the farmers must reassess their methods of action," the minister said. While everyone was free to protest in whatever way they considered fit, he added, this should not descend into "social automatism".
Arachovitis said that measures to reduce productions costs "in the field" had already started, including a reduction in social insurance contributions and the abolition of a entrepreneurship fee, with further measures soon to be announced - including a non-seizable sum of 12,000 euros demanded by farmers.
He also claimed active support of the cooperatives movement by the government, with initiatives for organic farmers and small farms scheduled to be proclaimed before the end of the year.
Source: ANA
