Krauze to discuss EU issues with his Baltic and Ukrainian counterparts

RIGA - Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze (Greens/Farmers) will discuss the latest developments in the European Union (EU) with the agriculture ministers of the Baltic states and Ukraine, as well as the deputy prime minister of Moldova, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Thursday and Friday, representatives of the Agriculture Ministry informed LETA.

Krauze will meet with with Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kazys Starkevicius, Estonian Regional Development and Agriculture Minister Piret Hartman, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea and Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaly Koval, to discuss Moldova's and Ukraine's EU accession opportunities, as well as share Latvia's experience.

They will also discuss other issues of importance to Latvia, including the direct payments and the reduction of bureaucracy created by the EU's Green Deal.

The ministry stressed that Latvia's priority in the EU is to ensure fair direct payments to farmers. Latvia also believes that the implementation of the Green Deal should be aligned with farmers' capacities and resources, including taking into account differences between Member States, as well as national competences to set their own priorities.

During the meeting, ministers will also visit farms, food businesses and meet with industry representatives.