Tabaku: The government is sacrificing agricultural land for the next clients, agriculture is in a coma

Democratic Party MP, Jorida Tabaku, has denounced the government's draft law on the protection of agricultural land, warning that the proposed changes pave the way for its use for photovoltaic and wind parks, without clear criteria and without guarantees for the protection of the public interest.

According to Tabaku, while the agricultural sector is in one of its most difficult periods, the government is not taking measures to support farmers, but is changing laws to serve the interests of its clients.

"Agriculture is in a coma, while the government is approving a law that allows the use of agricultural land for wind and photovoltaic parks. Even the little agricultural land that remains is being made available without criteria, without principles and without clear rules," said Tabaku.

The Democratic MP also opposed using the European integration process as a justification for these changes. She stressed that integration should serve the protection of agricultural land, sustainable development and strengthening of the sector, not to legitimize certain economic interests.

"Of course, agriculture, environmental and land protection are related to the integration process. But this is not the case. Integration is being used as a justification for other interests," Tabaku declared.

She raised doubts that behind the legal changes may lie concrete requirements for investments in energy parks, which, according to her, the public can only learn about after the decisions have been made.

Tabaku brought to attention the continuing decline in the weight of agriculture in the economy, the lack of IPARD funds, and the difficulties of Albanian farmers in exporting their products.

"Agriculture has fallen from around 20% of Gross Domestic Product to 15% and is heading towards 14%. IPARD funds are lacking in the sector, while the devaluation of the euro has made Albanian products less competitive and has placed farmers in survival conditions," she said.

 

Instead of intervening to reduce costs, support domestic production, and ease prices for Albanian families, according to Tabaku, the government is undertaking legal changes that favor a narrow circle of beneficiaries.

 

"The government does not take measures for the farmer, for Albanian products or to reduce prices on family tables. It takes measures for the next customers, changing the laws every time interests change," declared Tabaku.

 

The DP MP emphasized that there is no European Union request for the sale or alienation of agricultural land, describing this as another attempt to turn Parliament into a notary of private interests.

 

"There is no request from the European Union for this. It is just the request of the next client. We need to change this system: Parliament as a notary of business laws," Tabaku concluded.

 

_Text Tabaku_

 

Agriculture is in a coma, while the government is adopting a law that allows the use of agricultural land for the construction of wind and photovoltaic parks.

 

What is really happening with the discussion of the law on the protection of agricultural land is that even the little land that remains, which is currently poorly utilized and receives very little support, is being made available by the government, without any criteria, without principles and without clear rules, to photovoltaic and wind parks.

 

And, as always, they use European integration as an excuse.

 

Of course, this issue is related to the integration process, because we need to make sure that agriculture is a priority, that the environment is protected, and that agricultural land is protected. But this is not the case.

 

They are simply using integration as an excuse for their own vested interests.

 

Is there a specific requirement for wind or photovoltaic parks, for which the law is being changed? Because that's what we're used to. Maybe in a little while we'll learn about it from the media.

 

Meanwhile, agriculture should definitely be on the agenda, because funding for it has declined. Its share in the economy has dropped from around 20% of GDP to 15% and is heading towards 14%.

 

The agricultural sector lacks IPARD funds, while Albanian products are finding it increasingly difficult to sell abroad. Due to the devaluation of the euro by about 30%, they have lost competitiveness, placing Albanian farmers today in conditions of survival.

 

What measures is the government taking?

 

No measures to support the farmer.

 

No measures to reduce prices at family tables.

 

No measures to help Albanian products.

 

It takes action for the next clients, changing the laws whenever the interests that need to be favored change.

 

The same thing is happening with the sale and alienation of agricultural land. There is no requirement from the European Union for this. It is simply the request of the next client.

 

We need to change this system: Parliament turned into a notary of business laws.