Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 3.1.2007

Bakeries did not conclude cartel; court decided

The company Delta pekárny, Penam, and Odkolek will not pay a fine 52,8 million for alleged cartel. The regional court in Brno cancelled a relevant decision of the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) today. Already sometimes ago the same senate cancelled also a verdict of ÚOHS on a cartel agreement itself. Now the Antimonopoly Office has to decide again on a fine; it can also file a complaint to the Supreme Administrative Tribunal. Neither firms nor ÚOHS have received the judgement in writing meanwhile. “Therefore we can not express ourselves”, Filip Vrána from a press department of the office said.

Union of marginal areas criticizes MZe

Current steps of leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture (MZe) against the Rural Development Program (2007-2013) endanger employment in the country and show characteristics of a non-transparent cabinet policy. A chairman of the Marginal Areas Union (SMO) Milan Boleslav draws attention to it in his today’s declaration. In his opinion the ministry tries to shorten the most important program for Czech agriculture and countryside of a volume c. 100 billion crowns in its the most significant part from seven to six years (2008-2013) and so to deprive current and above all starting farmers of a possibility to draw money from the EU funds. “He wants to achieve it by a simple trick when he will make from the year 2007 only an entry year – see the autumn submitting of applications.

Clones as food are absolutely safe

Clones are no longer a Frankenstein monster which in its existence offends the God and the nature. The supreme American authority for food safety (FDA-Food and Drug Administration) has confirmed that clones of cattle, pigs, goats as well as their products as milk are safe for use in human nutrition. Meat and milk from cloned animals is recognized by a governmental institution as safe. The supreme American Food and Drug Administration decided on it. In a published announcement it is written that “Cloned cattle, pigs and goats produce food as safe as animals foodstuffs from which people consume commonly everyday”.

Farmers received the most for investment

Farmers in Vysočina obtained the most money from the European Union for investment in farm buildings and for purchase of better machines. From the Czech Republic accession in the Union till the end of last year’s August farmers had promised in total 312 million crowns from the operational program Rural Development and Multifunctional Agriculture; they will use more than two thirds for investment in their property. It results from an analysis of drawing means from EU structural funds in the region Vysočina which had been elaborated by a regional office. From all Union funds the applicants in region obtained a promise for approximately 2,7 billion crowns. Dotations which will serve to a development of agricultural production, forestry, fishery and the country shared in them roughly by 11 percents.

Source: Agris, 04.01.2007