The budget is a prerequisite for the further development of Montenegrin agriculture

The adoption of the Draft Law on the budget for this year is a prerequisite for the further development of Montenegrin agriculture, announced the representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and invited the members of the Assembly to express their opinion on it.

The Ministry reminded that the adoption of the budget is a prerequisite for the adoption of by-laws, programs and other documents in the field of agriculture, forestry and water management, and that its non-adoption caused the delay in the adoption of the Agricultural Budget.

"Every day of further delay brings more and more serious consequences and significantly reduces the possibility of successful implementation of the planned measures under the competence of the Ministry of Agriculture", warned from that government department.

They added that the failure to pass the budget causes serious problems for farmers in the application of direct payment measures, especially in animal husbandry and plant production. Agricultural producers based their plans and investments on the current practice of paying part of the funds in the first half of the year.

"The threatened spring sowing and planting is causing damage to the domestic market, so further delay, given the regional problems on the animal feed market, further endangers the producers," said the Ministry.

They reminded that the largest number of measures within the Agricultural Budget are implemented through rural development measures, and that the delay in the adoption of legal acts leads to a delay in the publication of public calls, which may lead to a decrease in the number of those interested in the realization of investments.

The Ministry explained that there is a procedure in that department that includes a number of activities, such as the outing of services to the field and control of agricultural producers, for which time is necessary. The postponement of the Agricultural Budget greatly shortened the period for implementation, which caused additional problems in the internal organization.

Representatives of the Ministry also warned that the failure to adopt the budget causes significant problems for the forestry and wood industry sector, because, among other things, the forest management program can only be adopted after that.

"Without a forest management program, it is not possible to do the planning documentation, which is seasonal work. It is not possible to carry out felling and making forests available for use. The key danger is the shortage of wood products, which can cause the shutdown of production in the wood processing industry," the Ministry announced.

They stated that in the first four months there was a 93,5 percent drop in forestry production compared to the same period last year. Without the adopted budget, revenues from forestry due to the decline in production would be drastically reduced, and thus the budgets of the municipalities in the north, which receive 70 percent of their income from forest use fees, would be threatened.

The Ministry reminded that the water management program is adopted after the budget and that without it it is not possible to start the procedures for the construction of new water mains in Montenegro, which is why about 20 water management facilities are currently on hold.

"Due to the delay in the adoption of the budget, there will be a delay in the realization of funds intended for the determination of proposals for priority areas of public interest for the financing of projects and programs in the field of environmental protection - water protection", stated the Ministry.

They added that the Committee for Allocation of Funds is not able to announce a competition for the financing of those projects until the budget is adopted.

When it comes to international projects, it is necessary to adopt the budget in order to ensure part of the national participation in the project, which is why work on its realization cannot begin.

"Non-adoption of the budget causes a halt in the implementation of the MIDAS 2 and IPARD II projects, because the means of provision for grant support for rural development and fisheries cannot be used according to the planned dynamics, and are closely related to the adoption of the budget, i.e. the Agricultural Budget", said the Ministry.

They believe that the delay in the adoption and publication of the Agricultural Budget represents a kind of challenge primarily to the administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, which in such conditions started and implemented all legally permitted mechanisms in order for agricultural producers to overcome the period until its publication as easily as possible.

"By launching the mechanism of temporary financing, until now, regular payments to agricultural producers have been made on a monthly basis. All related premiums on that basis were paid in the same volume and dynamics as they would have been if the Agricultural Budget had been adopted in the first quarter of this year," the Ministry announced.

They reminded that the beneficiaries of old-age allowances received all related incomes on that basis regularly and without delay.

The Ministry announced that all planted and sown areas of agricultural land will be subsidized this year.

"Every head of cattle in the premium system will be paid, every liter of milk delivered to the dairy or processed. All investments in the field of rural development included in the set of support measures will be supported by the Ministry, in compliance with procedures and legal norms", the announcement states.

The Ministry, according to its representatives, aims to make the percentage of use of the support funds allocated this year as high as possible, in order to ensure the stability of the income of agricultural producers, strengthen their competitiveness and ultimately strengthen the sector as a whole.

They said that the Government and the Ministry will reduce the impact of the delay in the publication of the budget on its implementation to the smallest possible extent, and to the maximum extent possible, they will be available to the beneficiaries of incentives.

"We appeal to the political subjects, in order to maintain economic stability, economic development in the country and help our agricultural producers, to harmonize their positions as soon as possible and vote on the Bill on the Budget as an absolute prerequisite for the further maintenance and development of Montenegrin agriculture", the announcement concludes.