Romaniaa’s agriculture to collapse unless agriculture ministry budget gets extra money

About 70 percent of Romania’s agricultural exploitations will be closed and over 10,000 workers will be jobless unless the Agriculture Ministry’s budget is hiked from RON 9.87 billion to RON 36 billion, said Stefan Niculae, Agrostar union federation head. Niculae asked for an increase of the ministry’s budget from 1.4 percent of the GDP to 4 percent, namely from RON 9.87 billion to RON 36 billion. Niculae also complained there is no draft law to replace agriculture subsidies that were eliminated this year, with other state aid means, adding people working in the agriculture sector will begin protests starting next week, displeased with the ministry’s budget. Niculae highlighted fiscal evasion in the agriculture sector rises to EUR1.5 billion mainly because of food imports.

Anda Dragan