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 Brussels Grants Us BGN 20 Mio for the Roses The Funds Have Been Procured on the Initiative of the National Union of Producers of Roses, Essential and Medical Species Tatiana Atanasova ”In 2012 the rose producers in Bulgaria will receive from the EU subsidies for rose growing, amounting ot BGN 20 Mio” , shared with PAS XXI Ms Zara Klisurova, Chair of the National Union of the Producers of Essential and Medical Species. The funds have been procured on the inititive of the industrial organisation. Options for easier crediting and government relief for rose-producers are being considered. The so called rose de minimis issue will be discussed shortly at a meeting between Deputy Minister Tsvetan Dimitrov and representatives of the industry. … Till the end of this year BGN 70 Mio will be granted for ecovery of the diesel fuel excise. During the conversations the industrial organization have found understanding from the Ministry in relation with the updating of the Rose-Producers Protection Act. >> Back to contents >> United Agrarians Offer Condolescences at Sofia Norway Embassy UA Honorary Chair Anastasia Dimitrova-Mozer and Deputy Chair Georgi Karkamov paid a visit to the Norway Embassy in Bulgaria on 26 July, 2012. They signed the book of condolescences in memory of the victims of the tragic bombing and gun attacks in the Oslo government district and on the Utoeya island last Friday "On behlaf of United Agrarians I offer most sincere condolescences for that tragic loss of life in the two attacks in Oslo and Utoeya island. Norway has always been synonymous with peace and calm and I am sure Norway will continue to defend these values. Democracy is fragile and the duty of everyone of us is to protect and defend it”, Anastasia Mozer wrote. >> Back to contents >> "Active youth is a very important ingredient of citizen society in all democracies. Young people are the potential of the United Agrarians Political Party. A political party willing to reach the future, must encourage and support the young. It is my priority young people to have a voice in decsions about the development of our union.” This is how UA Chair Petya Stavreva addressed the participants in a seminar co-organised by UA and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The topic of the event was - The Role of the Young for an Active Citizen Society.  The seminar took place in Plovdiv on 16 and 17 July. Participated young people from various regions of the country. “It is far from easy to assert young people in politics. That is why I am happy to have passed the baton of leadership to a young person”, said UA Honorary Chair Anastasia Moser. She pointed out that she had encouraged the active young in the agrarian union over the years.  In the citizen society context, said Antony Galabov, Associate Professor at NBU, more than 80 % of the Bulgarians believe that we are not equal before the law. The most severe problem of the young, he said, was the transfer from education to work. UA Press-centre  The European money must reach the people more easily. It is not possible for the crisis to be an eternal excuse, said United Agrarians Chairperson Petya Stavreva in front of "7 Days" Magazine AT A GLANCE: The notorious generation crisis in politics bypassed the United Agrarians party - this spring the baton of leadership was passed to Petya Stavreva. At the March 2011 Congress she was elected the political heir of Mrs. Anastasia Moser. Former MEP from the EPP-ER (2007-2009), member of the Agrarian and Rural Regions Development commission and deputy member of the Budgeting Control Commission and the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Commission of the European Parliament. Petya Stavreva graduated journalism at the Sofia "St. Kliment Ohridksi" University. Specialised Political Management in New Bulgarian University. Currently finishes an "Agrobusiness" Master at the Plovdiv Agrarian University. Poor Unsuspecting Romanians Tatiana Atanasova The romanians will soon lag behind us by standard of living. Only they still do not suspect anything. Their neighbours across the Danube, i.e. us, Bulgarians, will become richer then them within two years. This optimistic forecast was produced by the Minister of Finance Simeon Dyankov. "We are already raising out income levels and can afford a policy thus directed", said he.  Water Mellon producers from Lyubimets on Protest. Low Customs Control Fosters Illegal Competition in Fruits and Vegetables Tens of Water-mellon producers from Lyubimets took to the streets on Wednesday protesting against dumping import from neighbour Greece, which caused prices plummeting. The agrarians blocked entry to the Lyubimets exchange, where tons of the fruit lie quietly for a week, announced bTV. For one day only prices dropped in half and one kg is currently traded with nobody buying. The riot of the Lyubimets producers is only a part of the common unrest among local producers, who have for quite some time already been complaining of illegal imports of fruits and vegetables from Greece, Turkey, and Macedonia. PAS ÕÕI c.  Tatiana Atanasova Tie the people to peacify the country. Is this what you believe in, Mr. Prime-Minister? Or your reasining is that "bad geno-fund transforms Bulgarians into canines? So it is better and more secure not to unleash them …, like your "superb" dogs. It is true, that democracy is freedom, but not disorder. Freedom of speech on the other hand is an undeniable human right and one of the pillars of democracy. The mayhem of talking however can turn out to be a double edged weapon. Otherwise – the words can slash the utterer himself. And deflect like a boomerand onto the utterer, be he the Prime-Minister himself. Because the Prime-Minister is also a man, leashed in the trust of the people. And the societal events of recent years prove, that it is variable. And rather fragile… It is the litmus of political talk, and follows the maxim "Think first, talk later". And in similar situations – with leashes and dogs, one is better of by byting one’s tongue. Since sometimes silence is golden, even for a Prime-Minister...  Petya Stavreva End of June 2011 the European Commission approved a draft of the financial framework for the next EU budgeting period – 2014-2020. During that time our country may receive Euro-money by 10-15% more than the amounts allotted prior to 2013. At least such is the forecast of the Bulgarian Euro Commissioner Christalina Georgieva. For this budget to materialize however Bulgaria has to accelerate sharply the rates of fund-consumption. And show Brussels too that the money from the European funds reaches the Bulgarian citizens as directly as possible. This means less bureaucracy and more competent administration. Also demonstration of political willpower to fight corruption-related and other bad practices, which often hinder the implementation of projects under the European programs. Four years after the assencion to the EU our fatherland remains the poorest country in the community and lags behind by European funds consumption. This is our reality today. What will it be tomorrow depends on the people, who hold the steering wheel of power – depending on whether they are willing to facilitate the flow of Euro-finds to the Bulgarian cities and villages, agrarian producers, small and medium businesses … This needs less P.R. happenings and more silent toil, also teams of professionals and not of party yes-sayers. National Memorial Agrarian Gathering 18 June, 2011, Saturday, "Yanini Gramadi" locality, Slavovitsa village Petya Stavreva: Bulgaria Needs a Powerful Agrarian Organisation! ” Bulgaria needs a powerful agrarian organisation facing the future. An Agrarian Union supporting the efforts of the people dealing with agriculture and agrarian business, eco- and bio-production, searching for new markets for the Bulgarian products.” Said Petya Stavreva, United Agrarians Chairperson. She addressed the National Memorial Agrarian Gathering, which took place in the Yanini Gramadi locality, Slavovitsa village, on occasion of the 88th anniversary since the assassination of the agrarian leader, statesman and reformer Alexander Stamboliyski.  The event was attended by UA deputy chairmen Monyo Hristov, Georgi Karkamov, and Dimitar Ivanov, as well as members of the national UA leadership. Guests at the gathering were the Blue Coalition presidential candidate Rumen Hristov, and Sofia mayor candidate Proshko Proshkov, RDP Chairman Zahary Petrov, KNSB executive secretary Nikolay Nenchev, Pazardzhik mayor Todor Popov, Septemvri mayor Tomy Stoichev, as well as representatives of industrial organizations and NGOs.  ”We, agrarians, have a cause. It is not only the problems of the agricultural producers, but of all Bulgarian citizens, willing to live and prosper in a modern and free country. The sacred fight for peace, bread, freedom and power to the people, pledged upon us by Stamboliyski, still goes on,” Petya Stavreva addressed the thousands agrarians from all over the country. Today is the time to create a powerful and independent United Agrarians union. It is time to collect the leaves of the agrarian clover by uniting the people sharing the agrarian cause.We are facing a plethora of challenges. Bulgaria today is different, the world is changing. Our union has a century long mission to facilitate the reforms and to protect the values of democracy.”, said Patya Stavreva in her speech. Our country is in a crisis, many election pledges of the government are now in mi-air, Bulgaria is still the poorest country in the EU. We are increasingly often witnessing “armchair solutions”, which do not take into account the needs and means of the citizens. The agrarian industry is shaking with unsolved issues. The Bulgarian villages are in the backyard of the country, Stavreva pointed out. We must stop the depopulation of our village regions , to set up conditions for the young people to succeed and prosper in their home land, and not to leave Bulgaria. In the forthcoming local elections the United Agrarians leader made an appeal to support worthy and capable persons, willing to work for the prosperity of our cities and villages, suggesting solutions to the problems, instilling confidence. The architect of the agrarian movement is not only a statesman and a reformer, but also a man of the future for Europe of his time. Stambolyiski cared about the welfare of the ordinary person and pledged us to fight for justice and prosperity of the Bulgarian people. Therefore we, United Agrarians, must help Bulgarian citizens to take part in the reforms, proclaimed Monyo Hristov, UA Deputy Chairman in an emotional speech. The times are decisive. We are confronted by the arrogance of GERB and the perfidy of BSP. Let us tighten our ranks and take the local governments and the presidency, was his appeal to the thousands of agrarians from alll over the country. Hristov did not ignore also the so called false agrarians. "Who paid his tribute to Stamboliyski – Georgi Parvano the historian or Gotze the Cop? How can a person, who has worked against Bulgaria by conspiracy come here and desecrate this place”, he asked rhetorically alluding to the visit of the current President to Yanini Gramadi a week earlier. Monyo Hristov appealed to the agrarians „to distrust the ABV abbreviation, nor the smooth speech of Spas Panchev, Lichev and company, or Pinchev”. The gathering was also addressed by the Blue Coalition Presidential Candidate and SDS Deputy Chairman Rumen Hristov, Sofia city Mayor Candidate Proshko Proshkov from DSB, RDP leader Zahary Petrov, BSDP Deputy CHairman Ivalin Yosifov, trade union executive secretary Nikolay Nedev, and Green party Executive Council member Kostadin Deyanov. Mayor and municipality council member candidates of United Agrarians from all over the country were presented formally at Yanini Gramadi as well. United Agrarians Press-Center  18 June, 2011, Saturday, "Yanini Gramadi" locality, Slavovitsa village 10.30 – 10.45 Memorial service on occasion of the 88th anniversary of the assassination of Alexander Stamboliyski 10.45 – 11.00 Formal opening – an address by Emil Yonchev, Standing Committee Member and Chairman of the UA Regional Leadership Pazardzhik 11.00 – 11.10 An address by Petya Stavreva, United Agrarians Chairperson 11.10 – 11.40 Adresses by formal guests of the gathering – representatives of centre-right political parties, local authorities, NGOs and industrial organisations 11.40 – 11.50 Addresses by United Agrarians Standing Committee Members 11.50 – 12.10 Presenting UA mayor and municipality council member nominees 12.10 – 12.30 Serving wreaths and flowers to the ossuary of Alexander Stamboliyski 12.30 – 14.30 Folklore program  18 June, 2011, Slavovitsa The United Agrarians Political Party organises a National Memorial Agrarian Gathering on occasion of 88th anniversary of the assassination of the agrarian leader and statesman Alexander stamboliyski, Bulgarian Prime-Minister 1920-1923. The gathering will take place on 18 June, 2011, Saturday, starting at 10.30 hours at the Yanini Gramadi locality above the village of Slavovitsa. Agrarians from all over the country, sympahisers and friends of the Agrarian Union will congregate to honour the life and work of the statesman and leader of the Bulgarian agrarian movement. The UA mayor and municipality council member nominees will be presented at the gathering. The memorial event will be attended by Petya Stavreva, UA Chairperson, Monyo Hristov, Georgi Karkamov, Dimitar Ivanov – UA Deputy Chaimen and members of the party national leadership. Invited guests are the leaders of the Blue Coalition, Green Party, trade unions, industrial organisations and citizen associations, as well as representatives of the European institutions to Bulgaria. UA Presscenter United Agrarians Press-Conference in Plovdiv The United Agrarians national leadership will give a press-conference in the Plovdiv BTA Press-Club at 12:00 hrs. on 15 June, 2011.  Topics: 1. Party position on the inconfidence vote against the government and current agricultural problems. 2. National Memorial Gathering on occasion of the 88th anniversary of the assassination of the agrarian leader, statesman and reformer Alexander Samboliyski on 18 June, 2011, Saturday, since 10:30 hrs. in the Yanini Gramadi locality near Slavovitsa village. Attendees will include: Petya Stavreva, UA Chairperson, Monyo Hristov, Georgi Karkamov, Dimitar Ivanov – UA Deputy Chairmen and members of the party national leadership. UA Presscenter  United Agrarians and sympathisers, Open preliminary elections will take part on 12 June, 2011, to single out the Blue Coalition candidates for President and Sofia City Mayor. We urge you to vote on 12 June and contribute to the development of democracy. Bulgaria needs a democratically elected president to continue with the reforms. Sofia - a democratically elected mayor to become a true European capital. The presidential nominees are Rumen Hristov (SDS) and Svetoslav Malinov (DSB), and the mayor nominees are Proshko Proshkov (DSB) and Vladimir Kisiov (SDS). Let us all single out the persons worthy of being President of Bulgaria and Mayor of Sofia. Vote! The elections are the primary institution of the democratic government by delegation. The right to vote is sacred. United Agrarians Standing Committee  Monyo Hristov, UA Deputy Chairman, in an interview for radio K2 Mr. Hristov, what are the news at the Unoted Agrarians headquarters? Currently we are discussing the preparation for the local elections and our candidates for the various regions. The discussions are about standalone participation or for a coalition. Do you consider the possibility for distinct UA candidates in the large cities or not? In both the large cities and the rest of the communities we are still negotiating, but nothing is decided yet. Therefore, I would not say that we will have standalone candidates in the large regional cities. At this stage we are considering the nominations and the results of the meetings with other political entities for participation within coalitions. I meant to ask about your share of standalone participation, but this obviously is subject to clarification. We have entitled our local organisations to decide on their mode of participation themselves. However, we demand information about the candidates and the possibilities per region. Speaking of coalitions, you are still a part of the Blue Calition, is that so? For the presidential elections I can confirm that we will partake within the Blue Calition. As to the local elections there will be both standalone and coalition-type participations. Mr. Hristov do you intend to leave the Blue Coalition and join the Right Alliance? Recently Mr. Antikadzhiev from the SSD announced that signature of the final agreement is pending. We could not possibly join anywhere, where we have not even negotiated the terms. I will repeat that our decision is to take part in the Blie Coalition for the presidential elections. Our members will also take part in the preliminary elections to determine the coalition candidate. I see. These elections occur in a crisis situation. In your opinion, are they more a matter of speaking or more a matter of action? Excessive speaking is a trait of Bulgarian politics. Speaking, I dare say, is rather bold, and seeking to induce tension. In other words, lacking sufficient political and most of all economical grounds, I notice, that GERB are trying to pass the ball onto the field of politics, in order to avoid the serious topics about the crisis and the depression we experience. But this conversation cannot be avoided. And it will take part, because the society demands it. Then both the presidential and mayor/community council member candidates will need to share their visions of the future. And we should not speak about who, when and where was born, why someone is not an eligible candidate and various other tricks and roundabouts ... The most important thing we demand is the people to be offered a serious alternative. An the latter must not come down to a choice between a already bakrupt for two years economic and financial politics and another one heading for bankrupcy. It will be very bad, if choice is reduced to these two nuances of political life. Therefore our suggestions will constitute an alternative to these two subjects. Speaking of the triple coalition and GERB. From this point of view I would say that we will discuss the reasonable choice. Ten years ago this was the motto of the Peoples’ Union coalition. We believe that the Bulgarian citizens must choose the common sense people who are capable of working. This will be our objective in the forthcoming elections.  Let us make it so that the people live better Bio: Dimitar Ivanov was born on 4 February 1971 in Plovdiv. Mr. Ivanov, you are a Deputy Chairman of United Agrarians and one of the new faces in the national party bodies. What are the challenges in view of the credit of confidence given to you by the Congress? I would like first to thank everyone, who entrusted to me their confidence. I believe that we have to show a new face of the United Agrarians Political Party. The first step in this direction would be the re-establishment of the Union structures in the Plovdiv region. Our ambition is to restore all agrarian friendships in the communities where we are well represented. We are willing also to re-establish the junior agrarian organisations. We are glad that many young people are coming to us, and they accpet our program. Another objective of mine is to attract new people to the organisation. These are our sympathisers – persons, who are trusted by the public but are currently uninvolved. They are regard us as the political power to represent them politically at the next parliamentary elections. At the first sitting of the Executive council you urged your collegues for more discipline. What else is necessary for the political work to be successful? Given discipline, the success of the organisation will require serious and responsible work. This is the only way to accomplish our objectives and to implement the program of United Agrarians. First and foremost is the work towards the successful participation of the union in the forthcoming local election in the autumn. The results we will achieve in the local elections will be our test before the parliamentary elections. [The rest of the conversation is focused on the relationships within the Plovdiv, Maritsa, and Rhodope communities. The detail are available only on the Bulgarian pages.] An interview of Tatiana Atanasova  The comprehensive European Court of Auditors (ECA) review of the "Agriculture" State Fund is a clear signal to the GERB government that there will be no compromises with the transparency and control of European fund spending. This audit means that the trust of our European partners vest in the fund as an institution is being put to the test. Should infringements be found the danger of stalling direct payments from the European Union is imminent. And the concern is about BGN 1 billion for 2010 alone. We, United Agrarians, have been tolling the bells for a long time that trust in the "Agriculture" Fund is flowing out and an increasing number of Bulgarian farmers call Brussels direct with signals about European money payout infringements. We must not forget that the Fund is the greatest national payment agency, distributing annually hundreds of millions of euros. The ECA review confirms the opinion of many Bulgarian farmers that the Fund is inefficient and the European money reach the agricultural producers with difficulties. Our national interests dictate the issues with the operation of the Fund to be dealt with as soon as possible. The personal changes at the top of the payment agency must bring about real changes in the way the agency operates. We need: more transparency, efficient control, less bureaucracy and a competent administration. Petya Stavreva, UA Chairperson Brussels Goes After the "Agriculture" State Fund Euroexperts will check also photos of agricultural land The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is planning a comprehensive review of the "Agriculture" State Fund, announced farmer.bg this week, quting a highly ranked source. The forthcoming review is in response of numerous signals, originating in Bulgaria, about abuse in agriculture. This backs up OLAF report data about annual growth of the number of investigations of Bulgarian agriculture. Currently the European Anti-Fraud Office is working on 64 such cases.  Discussions among interested parties, including MEPs confirm that the review will be an extensive one. The latest comments started pouring on account ot the discontent about the penalties related with the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. Fined farmers complain to various institutions, including some which have no relation whatever with the topic, the site points out. United Agrarians incessantly ring the bell that penalties imposed on almost 6000 agricultural producers stem from administration mishandling. A day after the farmers' national protest (11 May), Union Chairperson Petya Stavreva informed the media that the acts have been drawn in violation of the European regulations. Let us remind that misalignment followed from the changes of the supportable layers in the orthomap. The photos of agricultural lands formed an apple of discord. It turned out that lands subject to subsidies have already been exempted from the eligible layer as permanently ineligible for subsidising. The industrial organisations warned that new problems and penalties may follow, since another update of the orthomap is forthcoming with imminent photo matching. The comprehensive ECA review will scrutinise also the photos of agricultural land. "Armchair Solutions" Destroy Bulgarian Agriculture United Agrarians support breeders' demand for resignation of the Minister of Agriculture "There is no long-term vision on the development of Bulgarian agriculture and the village regions. Increasingly often we are witnessing "armchair solutions”, which do not take into account the needs and abilities of agriculture producers”, states a United Agrarians position, presented on 12 May during a briefing at Sofia-press The organisation supports the breeders' demand for the resignation of Minister Miroslav Naydenov due to mishandling of the industry's problems. United Agrarians insist on immediate and adequate response of the Ministry of Agriculture and Foods and of the Bulgarian government to stabilise the situation in agriculture. Agricultural producers accuse the Ministry of Agriculture of discrimination towards small and medium-sized farms from unfavoured regions and the bio-producers, said United Agrarians Chairperson Petya Stavreva. She pointed out that for the first time since our reception to the European Union the subsidies for these regions have not been paid out by May with no clear reasons for the delay. The penalties for past periods – 2009, of about 6000 agricultural producers due to administrative failures aggravate the situation still further, added Ms. Stavreva. In support she quoted Regulation 796/2004 of the European Commission postulating that all checks and violations must end in protocols signed by the relevant agriculture producer. This has not happened which means that the respective acts have been drafted in violation of the European regulations, she concluded. Petya Stavreva further commented the statements of Minister Naydenov, that breeders report graveyards as agricultural lands as follows: "The Ministry of Agriculture increasingly often accuses farmers in manipulations thus seeking to belittle the mistakes of the ministry officers in the industry.” Common Agricultural Policy Priorities Need to be Discussed Widely ”Our country shall embrace as a priority the development of agriculture into a prospering industry employing an ever increasing number of young people”, declared United Agrarians Chairperson Petya Stavreva to the final conference of the “Common Agricultural Policy for the Young” campaign. The event, which took part in Sofia on 28 April, gathered teachers and students from agriclutural secondary schools and experts from the Ministry of Agricutlture and Foods and the “European Institute” Foundation.  ”We need long-term vision and national consensus on the development of Bulgarian agriculture as befits an agricultural country”, pointed out Petya Stavreva to the young people. I have not witnessed a public discussion about our priorities within the Common Agricultural Policy and what we will stand for, Stavreva said. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) provides plenty of opportuities and financial resources, but their transformation into a real policy is a long way off. In this respect she brought out the issue of the lack of communication between the producers and the decision makers. And recommended to the representative of the Ministry of Ariculture and Foods Maya Ninova a wide discussion on our priorities in the context of the CAP.  "We support the just protests of the citizen society" says Untied Agrarians Deputy Chairman Georgi Karkamov in an interview for E2 radio. - Mr. Karkamov, do United Agrarians remain within the Blue Coalition in the forthcoming local elections? What are the resolutions of the latests sittings of the organisation?- In the forthcoming presidential and local elections United Agrarians will partner all political powers sharing most of our program. Regarding the presidential elections the prevailing position of our members at the Second Party Congress and at the Executive Council sitting thereafter was for UA to negotiate with the Blue Coalition. Understandably, our comments and suggestions with respect to the President and Vice-President candidates need to be taken into account. As to the local elections, since the situation in the country varies by region, we have delegated the choice of the best participation formula to our regional and community organisations – alone or in a coalition promising the best possible representation of United Agrarians in the local governments. This is our postion as of now. Undo 2009 Producers Penalties for Violated EC Requirements United Agrarians Insist Agrarian Industry authorities shall immediately audit the acts penalising 5800 agrarian producers to payback subsidies for 2009. The national governing bodies of United Agrarians declared this at a press conference in the Stara Zagora BTA press club on 20 April 2011. The UA Chairperson Petya Stavreva, Monyo Hristov, Deputy Chairman, Zahari Bankov, Georgi Dimitrov, Members of the Standing Committee, took part in the briefing.  Penalised farmers informed that the lands they were fined for had been exempted form the so called “permitted layer for 2009” with no on-site inspections, and no prior notice. This means that the acts have been issued in violation of the European regulations, requiring protocols for all inspections resulting in infringement charges to be co-signed by the farmer. The procedure is stipulated by Regulation 796/ 2004 of the European Commission, pointed out Petya Stavreva, former MEP. United Agrarians Press Centre |
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