EU funds earmarked for Slovak farmers are not at risk, and recipients will receive them, MEP Monika Beňová (Smer-SD) stated Saturday on public STVR's politics programme in connection with reports that the European Commission (EC) is investigating the Agricultural Payments Agency (PPA).
MEP Miriam Lexmann (Christian Democrats/KDH) also believes that Slovak farmers won't lose their money, but she emphasized the importance of addressing the European Commission's concerns regarding insufficient protection of the European Union's (EU) financial interests. "The letter the Commission sent to Slovakia clearly identifies concerns and issues regarding potential lack of transparency or conflicts of interest," noted Lexmann, adding that she also sees the relevance of the Commission's concerns regarding changes to Slovakia's criminal laws in the context of conditions for drawing EU funds.
Beňová noted that opposition representatives are constantly scaring the Slovak public by claiming that EU funds will be taken away from the country. She considers the proceedings related to the PPA case to be one of many standard processes that the EC is conducting against several countries.
Source: STVR, TASR
