In a recent meeting, the Deputy Minister of National Defense and MP for Laconia, Thanasis Davakis, engaged with the Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development, Giannis Andrianos, alongside representatives from various cooperatives in Laconia. The focus of this gathering was to address the challenges faced by the Olive Oil Organizations in Laconia, particularly concerning the delays in the disbursement of financial support for 2024.
Attendees included notable figures such as Nikos Grammatikakis, representing KASELL A.E.S, which encompasses eight member cooperatives, as well as Sotiris Kritikos from the Agricultural Cooperative of Agios Dimitrios, Tasos Sargkanis from the Agricultural Cooperative of Sykea, and Giannis Laggis from the Agricultural Cooperative of Metamorfosi.
Following the discussions, Davakis highlighted the pressing issues at hand, stating, «We recently met with representatives of Laconian cooperatives and my colleague, Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development, Giannis Andrianos. The purpose of this meeting was to tackle the problems faced by the Olive Oil Organizations in Laconia due to the delay in the financial support for 2024.»
The Deputy Minister provided updates on his ongoing efforts to resolve the situation, explaining the obstacles that arose after the integration of OPEKEPE into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). He assured the attendees that he is collaborating with the General Directorate of Olive Oil and Agricultural Products (the new designation for OPEKEPE), the Managing Authority, and other ministry services to find a swift resolution.
Moreover, the Deputy Minister responded positively to the cooperatives’ request for an extension on the deadline for submitting applications for the 2026 advance payment, committing to issue a Ministerial Decision to establish a new deadline.
In a significant development, he also mentioned that, following a request from the General Directorate of Olive Oil and Agricultural Products, a letter will be sent to the European Commission to ensure that the 2024 payment from national resources does not fall under any community restrictions.
Davakis emphasized the urgency of disbursing the 2024 support as quickly as possible, noting the financial strain faced by these vital cooperatives. His remarks reflected a shared understanding and political will from Andrianos to address these pressing economic concerns.
This meeting underscores the ongoing commitment of government officials to support the agricultural sector, particularly the olive oil industry, which plays a crucial role in the economy of Laconia. The discussions held promise for future developments that could alleviate the financial challenges faced by local cooperatives.
