Slovenian farmers call for a meeting with the Prime Minister and the Minister on safeguard measures under the EU-Mercosur agreement

Ljubljana – At the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia (KGZS) they expect an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Robert Golob and Minister of Agriculture Mateja Čalušić, at which they will present and coordinate measures to protect Slovenian farmers within the EU-Mercosur agreement, said the president of KGZS Jože Podgoršek. The Ministry of Agriculture has assured that they will monitor the implementation of the agreement.

Even before the agreement is approved by the EU member states, Podgoršek, as he has done many times before, expressed his opposition to the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur. According to him, KGZS cannot support the mentioned agreement as long as it is harmful to European and Slovenian farmers.

At the same time, KGZS called on the prime minister and the minister of agriculture to hold a meeting at which the competent authorities would explain to the representatives of farmers which measures, written into the Mercosur agreement, will be used to protect Slovenian farmers so that they can cultivate land and competitively produce food in the coming decades as well.

“Because the agreement is being rapidly prepared at the EU level, we are running out of time. That is why we have also requested that we meet within one week, look primarily at those measures with which we will protect our farmers, and, if necessary, also add some measures so that we will truly be on the safe side, because at the moment we are not,” said the president of KGZS.

In its response, the Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food wrote that it is aware of the concerns of farmers. Therefore, they will closely monitor the implementation of the agreement and, in the event of risks to Slovenian agriculture, demand action and use all available protective mechanisms. (9 and 10 January)