Starting with this year, applications for subsidies from the National Agriculture and Rural Development Fund can be submitted not only by farmers, but also by local public authorities, non-agricultural private individuals and legal entities, IPN reports.

Vadim Curmei, director of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA), told a news conference that three new measures are proposed for subsidization this year. The local public authorities can apply for subsidies to implement projects to develop and improve the living standards in villages within the first two measures. The subsidy will not exceed 3 million lei, of which the state contribution will represent 80%. The third measure applies to non-agricultural private individuals and legal entities, such as craftspeople and other persons who carry out activities in localities. These can ask for subsidies of at most 1 million lei where the state contribution will be 50%.

This year, the National Agriculture and Rural Development Fund is of 1 billion lei and this sum will be also used to clear the arrears for 2019 (570m lei).

Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ion Perju said the AIPA in 2019 received 7,505 applications for subsidies. A sum of 585 million lei was allocated based on 3,231 applications. The 2020 Fund will be primarily used to pay the overdue subsidies for 2019, based on 4,091 applications.