Parliament approves amendment on 50 million lei aid to farmers

Parliament on Thursday approved in first reading an amendment supplementing the 2012 State Budget with 50 million lei, which was offered by the European Commission in aid to drought-hit farmers, Info-Prim Neo reports. Of the total, 38 million lei will go to partially compensate the costs of sowing autumn varieties of wheat, and the remaining 12 million lei will go to buy animal feed for livestock holders in the areas mostly affected by the drought. The amendment also redirects 4 million lei, an amount initially allocated for the purchase of dwelling for young specialists in rural areas and which wasn't used, into the Government's Reserve Fund to cover any incidental expenses that might appear until the end of the year. The amendment was approved by the majority of MPs attending. The Communist group boycotted the meeting after their earlier request to dismiss Vlad Plahotniuc from the post of Deputy Speaker hadn't been supported.