Reactions and controversy after the decision of the Ministry of Agriculture to reject the request of the Sardinia Region aimed at obtaining the declaration of "exceptional adverse weather conditions" and the consequent financial support to compensate for the damage caused by the drought.
FDI ON THE ATTACK – «To obtain funding, both national and European, it is essential to know the rules and mechanisms that provide for them », attacks the opposition. «The ministerial response is clear: “the National Solidarity Fund provides for compensatory interventions exclusively in the case of damage to production, structures and production plants not included in the Agricultural Risk Management Plan”, that is, the so-called non-insurable production», comments Paolo Truzzu, group leader of Fratelli d'Italia . Explaining: «The Region, however, has made the request only for insurable production, which is covered by other measures. There was therefore no “underestimation” on the part of the national government, but rather the request of the Sardinia Region could not be accepted».
“WRONG PROCEDURE” – «There are other more adequate tools, for example Agricat, the National Mutual Fund for covering damages from floods and droughts in agriculture, and also the CAP crisis reserve», echoes regional councilor Emanuele Cera . «Therefore, we could also have followed the path of the Sicily Region, which already in the spring declared a state of calamity and agreed a specific exemption with the government».
"Unfortunately, we acted with evident superficiality and too much time was wasted invoking an inadequate instrument - highlights another exponent of Fdi, Gianluigi Rubiu -. Also considering the delay (resolution of September 11) with which the Todde Council took note of a situation that was now unsustainable for the entire agricultural and pastoral sector of the island ".
"We advise Councilor Satta not to pass his responsibilities on to others and we offer our collaboration to improve his relations with the Ministry of Agriculture. Exclusively for the good of companies and farmers on the Island, fundamental components of a sector that drives the Sardinian economy", concludes Truzzu.
TODDE: “SHAMEFUL” – For her part, governor Alessandra Todde instead points the finger at Rome: «It is shameful that the Meloni government does not consider the drought that is hitting Sardinia hard an emergency . It is unacceptable that our requests are being underestimated and that Sardinia is once again being considered a second-rate region».
"The national government - Todde adds - must assume its responsibilities towards the Sardinian agro-pastoral sector which is vital for the island's economy". And again: "With the resolution of 11 September last we urgently requested that the government express its opinion on the exceptional adverse weather conditions suffered between November 2023 and June 2024. Do you know how the Ministry of Agriculture responded? There will be no support. Sardinia will have to make it on its own. Sicily, on the other hand, has been treated differently - observes Todde - receiving access to the national solidarity fund. An unequal treatment that must be justified. This decision does not take into account the real difficulties faced by our farmers affected by drought and extreme weather events. We will continue to fight for the seriousness of the situation to be recognized because Sardinia and its farmers deserve help and respect" , concludes the President of the Region.
COLDIRETTI – The rejection of the request was also commented by Coldiretti : «The farmers and breeders of Sardinia ask for equal dignity, compared to Sicily , on the support for the damages caused by drought and linked to the National Solidarity Fund. Has the derogation been requested by the Sardinia Region? Have discussions been activated between the Region and the Ministry to follow the recognition process? Because otherwise, it is not clear why funds and aid were foreseen for Sicily, while for Sardinia, which has suffered equally serious damages due to the lack of water, this was not the case. The conditions of the areas hit by drought in our region are the same as those of Sicily. It is not acceptable to remain inert», reads a note from the association, signed by Battista Cualbu and Luca Saba , president and director.
“LOST TIME” – “We are not interested – continues Coldiretti – in knowing who is responsible for what is happening today, whether it is the national government or the regional government, because Sardinian farmers and breeders deserve the right support for the very serious damage suffered by the drought. Now we must recover the lost time and for this it is necessary for the Region to verify the current state and above all for there to be an integration of the affected territories, the mapping that had been done of the areas of the island affected by the drought is not the real one, considering that many territories had been left out. Precisely for this reason it is necessary to integrate the map and reconnect relations between the Region and the State in order to achieve the sole objective: to ensure support for our farmers and breeders”.
For Coldiretti Sardegna, the extremely serious situation that is being experienced in Sardinia in the affected companies is such as to justify (in the same way as in Sicily), a derogation from the regulations in order to obtain the compensation due «and precisely for this reason the regional Executive must take action to really demonstrate how dramatic the situation is on the island».
“ACT NOW” – «Once again - concludes the association – farmers and breeders will pay the price for a completely incorrect management of the drought dispute in Sardinia. Today there is yet another damage for those who have already lost tens of millions of euros due to the loss of income and damage to crops and fodder that has affected almost the entire island, so much so that today we are still suffering the consequences».
It is therefore necessary to "act immediately and take action to provide concrete answers to the suffering of the rural world and once again we underline that only by listening in time to the territories and the needs of the hundreds of companies in difficulty can these problems be avoided".
(Online Union)