Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 29.3.2006

Conditions of subsidies will reduce risk of floods

At the beginning of April new conditions should come in force, necessary for drawing of basic agricultural subsidies of direct payments consequence of which is beside others a reduction of flood risk. The Ministry of Agriculture in a material which government should deal with today introduced a duty for subventions receivers to keep principles of so called Correct agricultural practice. “At present respecting of these principles in our legislative is set in only in form of recommendation, in period from May 1 to the end of August. Now the recommendation will change in a duty for the whole calendar year”, said Jiří Felčárek from the press department of the Ministry.

PGRLF increases insurance subsidies

Subsidies of agricultural insurance which is provided by the Subsidiary, Guarantee, Rural and Forestry Fund (PGRLF) are increased by 5 % for this year. According to Dana Malíková, the head of subsidies department of PGRLF, breeders can count on a subsidy of farm animals insurance for case of infection and other mass damages in height of 20 % from proved covered costs. Till this time it was 15 %. “In plants the support increases from 30 to 35 %. In selected special plants it will be 50 %,”, Malíková said. A list of special plants is still finishing by the Ministry of Agriculture. There should be vineyards, orchards, hop-gardens and vegetable.

Greens will be for a diversion from direct payments in agriculture

When the Czech Republic will have presided in the European Union in three years, the Green Party wants to support a diversion from direct subsidies in European agriculture. “Our position is clear. We have promoted it for several years and have pushed pressure on so that the change was realized already in last budget period”, Southern-Bohemian leader of Greens, Ondřej Liška, who worked in Brussels central of Green, said to journalists today. At the beginning of March the Minister of Foreign Affairs (KDU-ČSL) reminded the fact that in time of Czech presidency the Union will have to decide on a reform of the Common agricultural policy. He pointed out that the Czech Republic had not almost started the preparations for the presidency yet. Czech people will have to ensure the reform of European budget and the preparation of elections in the Euro-parliament. According to Liška there is time for the preparations, however, it is need to start.

H5N1 is in the Czech Republic

A swan found out near Hluboká nad Vltavou was infected by the virus H5N1 which is dangerous also for people. In the South of Czech Republic tests also confirmed the second occurrence of bird flu. Whether it is also H5N1 is not known yet. The presence of dangerous virus was confirmed by the tests results which had been made by Prague national referential laboratory. A definitive conformation from the EU referential laboratory in the Great Britain in Weybridge can be estimated at half of next week, said the Ministry of Agriculture. This afternoon tests also confirmed the virus H5N1 in died swan which was found in České Budějovice on the right bank of the river Vltava.

Source: Agris, 30.3.2006