Sonja Bukovec: Accreditation is a great achievement
Recently Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development gained the accreditation for payment of the EU funds. We talked about it with Sonja Bukovec, the director of the agency.
What does the Act of the accreditation for payment of the EU funds mean for the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Agricultural Markets and Rural Development?
Great achievement. The preparation period for gaining the status of an accredited paying agency lasted four years; mainly due to strict conditions for granting an accreditation directed in the European and national legislation.
One of the basic conditions for granting the accreditation is a proper organisational completeness and the expert knowledge of the agency. During the preparation period, the expert workers underwent various trainings abroad and at home within “twinning projects“ and bilateral cooperation with EU Member States. Upon knowledge acquired, the expert workers prepared various manuals and instructions for implementing measures, checklists, etc. This documentation served as a basic guidance in the establishment of reliable and safe technical support for the implementation of measures, for the development of control systems, and for the setting up of the accounting and reporting systems. All these actions helped us gain the accreditation. As an accredited paying agency, the Agency assures the transparency of working processes, which together with regular audit inspections enables an effective control on reliability of budgetary use.
The granting of the accreditation means the acknowledgement for everybody who in any way cooperated in the preparation process. Following the SAPARD accreditation in November 2001, this presents the second recognition for the qualitative, reliable and impartial operation.
What is the amount of funds Slovenia will be entitled to?
The European funds negotiated with the European Union in December 2002 for the agricultural purposes for the period 2004 to 2006 amount to a little more than € 401 millions. National budget funds need to be added. By granting the accreditation, the Agency received the right and obligation to carry out the measures accredited, and will thus contribute to proper use of funds negotiated. However, the effective use of financial means for achievement of maximum environmental and economic benefits could only be reached by cooperation of all persons involved in agriculture and rural development. Beside the accredited paying agency, the following is vital as well: proper legal bases, effective, competitive and environmental-friendly development programmes, which will follow the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy, an effective advisory system for beneficiaries for receiving non-returnable funds, education for rural undertakings, etc. The state of preparation of financial institution as regards financial support for investments in agricultural holdings and investments in food-processing industry, and ensured public finances means are of vital importance, too. After all, agriculture and rural development play an important role in ensuring the most favourable profit and loss account. Agriculture is namely a decisive factor to determine whether Slovenia is net contributor or net recipient of EU funds.
What support will the European funds present for Slovenian farmers and agriculture?
European and national funds which could be granted to Slovenian farmers and food-processing industry through the implementation of measures and by the Agency will ensure the Slovenian farmers stable and balanced incomings, additional income sources, restructuring of farms and food-processing industry by means of higher efficiency and competitiveness. The above will certainly contribute to better living conditions in rural areas, as well as to the preservation of population and genuineness of rural environment.
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