Will the guaranteed funds for the Rural Program be cut?

The reform of the CAP after 2027 is quite revolutionary given the elimination of the Second Pillar, that is, the funds under the Rural Development Program. The Second Pillar provides the basis, the vitality for the development of rural areas, emphasized Elena Ivanova – Director of the Directorate "Rural Development" at the Ministry of Agriculture, during the 13th national seminar of the NAZ in Albena. On the subject: Who wins and who loses from the reform in agriculture? She warned that in the absence of guaranteed funds under the Rural Program "it will be very difficult to guarantee the sustainability of agriculture in the country, as well as in the entire European Union." Regarding the budget, the expert outlined a serious challenge: "The budget for Bulgaria has been reduced by 20%, with the guaranteed amount being 6.2 billion euros." These funds are supposed to provide resources for key investments – modernization, automation, innovation, and irrigation in agricultural ...