The EU suspended the funds/ The Ministry of Agriculture reacts: The support program has not been stopped

2023-07-19 16:49:00, Aktualitet CNA

The EU suspended the funds/ The Ministry of Agriculture reacts: The support

The Ministry of Agriculture has reacted regarding the suspension of EU funds for agriculture in our country, following suspicions of corruption and misuse of these funds.

The Ministry declares that the support program has not been interrupted and the work is continuing.

This institution claims that only an actual reimbursement invoice from DG AGRI for part of the next expenses has been suspended.

According to the ministry, this is a completely administrative process that allows the reverification of control systems by accredited structures, which will take the necessary measures in order to continue the normal reimbursement from the EU.

EU suspends funds for agriculture in Albania/ Cause, corruption
July 19, 13:28

Full reaction:

Based on several media publications, we clarify the public, but especially farmers and agro-processors, regarding the process of support from the IPARD program:

The support program has not been discontinued. The work goes on, the program goes on.

The Albanian authorities have been informed of a suspension of the current reimbursement invoice from DG AGRI for part of the next expenses. This is a completely administrative process that allows the re-verification of the control systems by accredited structures which will take the necessary measures in order to continue the normal reimbursement from the EU. These are normal procedures of the European Union in the conditions when there is a need to verify expenses suspected of activity not conforming to the established rules.

All Albanian structures are in continuous cooperation and coordination with the OLAF office and DG AGRI, providing full transparency, as they have been doing since the first day of accreditation, of all control, investigative and administrative processes followed until today or that may be activated in the future.

The accreditation process of the IPARD program started more than 10 years ago and the implementation could only start at the end of 2018 after the accreditation of the operating structures in accordance with the Framework, Sectoral and Financial Agreement ratified in the Albanian Parliament. Since 2018, the program has brought about a radical transformation of the production and processing processes in our country, as well as increasing the technical expertise of the local staff.

Like any financial mechanism, the program examines, controls and implements projects in accordance with well-defined rules approved by the European Union which are constantly controlled and audited by internal and external structures. If violations are observed, the program determines the operating structures that take measures and acts in accordance with the legal procedures provided for, as it is done in any similar structure in the countries of the European Union.

This is a daily work where all accredited institutions work together in compliance with EU rules to improve various administrative links of operation in the service of the success of the program by facing the challenges of implementation in the agricultural sector, so it is important that a program for the economic development of rural Albania does not become an object of political consumption.

The IPARD program is a cornerstone for the development of Albanian agriculture, the results of which have been felt by the development of the sector, which is reflected today in important positive performance indicators. This result has come as a result of the extraordinary joint work with farmers and agro-processors as well as the employees of the structures in Albania and Brussels.

Only in this way have we guaranteed tangible results by enabling 85 collection points, over 40 agro-food processing factories, over 130 investments in agricultural mechanics and increasing planted areas, over 50 investments in agro-tourism entities, over 30 investments in stables and livestock farms, over 40 investments in wineries and vineyards, over 85 investments in greenhouses, investments in renewable energy, etc., with the direct impact of creating over 5,000 new jobs.

We are proud of the work done, the program continues and all the accredited structures in its implementation are in full partnership with European partners to enable successful progress for the good of the country./ CNA.al