Stricter implementation of the Green Line Regulation was demanded last night in Liopetri by the Agricultural Organizations and the producers of the free area of Famagusta.
The agricultural organizations PEK, EKA, Panagrotikos, Nea Agrotiki and Evroagrotikos, organized an open gathering last night at the Nationalist Associations of Liopetri, where the issue of importing products from the occupied territories and the unfair competition created with the farmers of the free areas were discussed.
During the meeting, the producers submitted various suggestions for resolving the problem, including the termination of the Green Line Regulation, while calling for the more active involvement of the Agricultural Organizations and immediate action.
In his statements, Christos Papapetrou, Assistant General Secretary of PEK, stated that what comes out of the meeting, in which "the problems created by the trafficking of allegedly Turkish Cypriot products through the Green Line Regulation were discussed in depth, is that on the one hand Finally, there is a need for a more faithful and strict application of the Regulation and on the other hand for a systematic control of the illegal passages from where products are channeled from the occupied areas, in order to alleviate the problem that has been created for both producers and production in free areas. ».
He added that "Agricultural Organizations will take the initiative in this direction, but also to the government and ask for compensatory measures to be given to producers for the unfair competition to which Cypriot producers are subject in the free zones and the lost income from these unfair practices followed. European agriculture and those who faithfully follow its implementation, have high production costs and we know that the European acquis does not apply to the occupied territories because the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise control over these areas. Therefore, the production that takes place in the occupied areas has reduced production costs and unfairly competes with the European Cypriot producer ".
For his part, Tassos Giapanis, President of Panagrotiko, noted that "essentially we demand a faithful implementation of the Green Line Regulation, which ensures the hygiene of products and proper competition, ie not to be unfair, because", as he explained, for the Agricultural Organizations and the producers there is a lost income, precisely because there is no healthy competition ".
Mr. Giapanis referred extensively to the Chronicle of the Green Line Regulation and noted that "what needs to be done now, given that this Regulation exists and can not be changed, is that we can correct the problem, what safety valves can taken so that we can ensure healthy competition for products reaching the free areas from the occupied territories. At the same time, we must see the steps that must be taken by the Legislative and Executive Powers, in order not to reach our last year, in terms of trade ".
The Agricultural Organizations stated that they will take the necessary steps in the Legislative and Executive power, while they have sent letters to the Ministers of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs regarding the problems arising from the Green Line Regulation, in order, as they characteristically stated, “to bring them forward. of their responsibilities ".
During the meeting, the producers submitted various suggestions for resolving the problem, including the termination of the Green Line Regulation, while calling for the more active involvement of the Agricultural Organizations and immediate action.
As reported by the Agricultural Organizations, within the next few days a meeting will be scheduled on the same issue with the farmers of the province of Nicosia.
Famagusta.News / KYPE