Today, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski attended the traditional pruning of vineyards in honour of St. Tryphon, the patron of wine growers and winemakers in Negotino.
 
– Government will remain a strong supporter of wine production. Under the Programme for Subsidies, payment of high amounts of funds for grape wine plantations is envisaged this year as well, both for existing and for renewal of new ones, as well as for payment of subsidies for one kilo per grape Stavreski said, pointing out that the global economic crisis and the oversaturated wine market adversely affected the wine production.
 
Government, as he announced, will help, through legal solutions, to regulate relations between purchasers and wine growers, i.e. to determine in advance purchase prices so as to provide greater security of payment.
 
– It is envisaged to regulate, by law and rulebook, for the producers and purchasers, prior to handing out the grapes, to sign agreements, indicating the purchase price. Thus, both of them will be secured, and tensions and dissatisfaction will be avoided, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance pointed out.
 
When asked whether the Government will help in paying the debt for the purchased grapes from last years, Stavreski said that major portion of the 2009 debt in Negotino was paid.
 
– We will strive, trough discussions with purchasers and by opening new markets, to provide assistance to both the purchasers to sell the wine and the wine growers to get paid. In the meantime, what we were able to do was to provide additional subsidies at the price of Denar 2 per kilo, Stavreski pointed out, explaining that by amending the Rulebook in this period, the subsidies can be paid, which will help farmers to overcome this period, i.e. to start the season successfully.
 
He announced that efforts are being made in providing funds for paying the harvest for 2010 by marketing the wine, however, according to him, this activity is beyond the competence of the country.
 
– We are certainly trying to open new markets and what we can do is to help farmers overcome this period through additional subsidies of Denar two per kilo of grapes. Such funds can be paid under the new Budget and the new Programme. As for the promised subsidies for wine growers, Stravreski pointed out that the Government adopted the amendment and that payment will be made in the next weeks.
 
He expects for conditions for construction of Smokvica-Demir Kapija section to be created by autumn.
 
– Half of the finds were approved by the European Investment Bank in March or April and we expect for EBRD to approve the rest of the funds, while the remaining funds are grant from EU and the Budget of the Republic of Macedonia. In the coming two-three months, the whole financial scheme will be completed, announcing a tender for construction and I expect for conditions for construction of the Corridor to be created by autumn, Stavreski said.
 
While visiting Negotino Municipality, Stavreski also visited the Wine Fair – Zelkova kuka. He was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Ljupco Dimovski and representatives of the diplomatic core in Macedonia. (MIA)
