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Cause and Effect in European Politics and Law

0.42% is the absorbed money by Bulgaria for agriculture from the EU

Adelina Marini, May 31, 2009

During a meeting with farmers in Burgas, the European commissioner for consumers Meglena Kuneva who is now leading the list of candidates of the NDSV (National Movement for stability and progress) and former minister of European integration of Bulgaria said that Bulgaria has absorbed only 0.42% of the European funds so far. She reminded that until 2013 the money must be absorbed because this would guarantee us that during the negotiations for the next financial perspectives when Bulgaria will be able to ask for money for agriculture. "If this doesn't happen, we will be unconvincing during the conversation for the next budget. When we've negotiated the money for 2007-2013 the big countries asked why do you take this fresh money, since you do not absorb it?"

But she warned that without fight against corruption and without transparency the absorption will not increase. Mrs. Kuneva added that within the EU the incomes of the farmers have increase with 80% since 2000 and the export has increased 3 times. But at the moment there's a serious problem because of the quota system which distorts the real market.The global fall of the prices of milk and milk products makes more and more European farmers to fear about the survival.