Not so long ago there was a manager in the county, and the countryside was a farmer. They were wearing his hectares and have been a regular subsidies from the European Union. EU subsidies enough seeds, fertilizer, tractor repair and employ extra hands to work on time sowing and harvesting. And so the manager was careful to requests for subsidies in the right form and the right time to hit someone you have, and the farmer peacefully occupied the land. Earth repaid him quite decent harvest and income of the state grew. Exports boomed, the Polish, good and cheap food came Germans, Czechs and Ukrainians.
I though somewhere flashed farmers red lights that once the time is up, it is faith in the panel and her assurances of support for the Polish earth was stronger.
But it is the day on which the panel has failed farmers. From day to day thanked 304 of 314 managers of the county branches of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture from across the country. Regardless of seniority, experience and implementation process issues. They were given a day, sometimes a few hours to pack belongings. And although officially at the time of giving denunciations were assured that this is not a political decision, disgust remained.
Over the next few weeks in the branches of ARMA in Poland dismissed the employees at lower levels who were with the heads of county business related. Because as a team to replace only right that the government – it’s full. Some were given notice in one moment, others received a few minutes. Some were laid off in person, another notice was sent by mail. Part went on sick, some of the untapped, overdue vacation.
On the second day after the purges of old, experienced managers of the district began to replace new. Usually from the outside, often in a small way connected with the affairs of agriculture, without proper training required by the European Union, but it is the line for the party. Parts managers, as the agency itself acknowledges, is not yet at all. – Everything is in progress, everything will work, but it has its last – we hear in the press office.
Farmers in individual provinces tear their hair at their wits and what it will be. And, unfortunately, there are many indications that it is unlikely to be good. – Last year, farmers came in drought, and this year the delay in direct subsidies for food producers. By a strange twist of fate, they coincided in time with the replacement of staff – says Peter, who for several years was the head of the county agency. – If there is no part of managers and staff, I am curious, who currently handles the requests. All lies and squeals.
the Credit hell is paved
The situation in ARMA one like a storm in a teacup, another annihilation and massacre of the innocents. – Because while the exchange of personnel due to political reshuffle is natural, the same way getting rid of employees who throughout the years, regardless of the political arrangements, worked for Polish farmers, and were now in the most important preparatory phase of withdrawal of the EU – no. It seems, unfortunately, that the desire to replace all supporters of PiS overshadowed common sense – adds Peter.
Another sacked manager Martin: – I worked in a branch of the agency since its inception. It was never so as not to use the expertise of colleagues, who occupied several positions. Managers were exchanged, the power to change, but never thrown anyone on the pavement. Because the damage was to throw such knowledge into the trash. It was always about the farmers. And now you can see that the political struggle broke everything. This year we have a precedent. Everyone affiliated with PSL-I and other groups were released. But no matter what happened, we had no impact on either the system or the rates. Or whether the implementation of applications will begin on time. It’s always been arrangements between the Union and the agency headquarters in Warsaw. Always a top-down orders we received about reloaded with the next step. We did everything according to the procedures. Even so, finally, we have been punished and deprived of work.
Redundant steering county does not want to disclose the names, because as soon as you finish them notice periods, will have to look in their regions for a new job. It is to them, however, regret that the new rulers came from the assumption that there are no people irreplaceable.
– The experience that we have in terms of EU subsidies and procedures, not to earn in a week, even a few months. Each of us has undergone the required training by the EU, it is up to date with any changes. Good luck new managers, but the chances that farmers will not attack them while backfire, are negligible. Already it shows. Even in the four-month delays in annual subsidies – says Marcin.
Vladimir, a farmer from a village near Ciechanow, despairingly admits that if in two weeks will not get subsidies, will not have money to buy seeds for spring sowing. Council ruling that in anticipation of the payments took a loan is considered as inhuman.
– I already have several loans that still have to pay off: on the tractor at the machine. Additional would be the nail in the coffin. As this goes on, nothing but sell the land in these shoots and emigrate. The new head of the district is not able to explain anything to me. He says that he and so I think ultimately the manager will not, because instead of subsidies will deal with a different plot. What’s more, it turned out that my application will only be verified. Always it happened in late autumn. I am depressed because I can see that soon the money will not get.
There are those who say that farmers themselves are to blame, they could not vote for PiS (villages PiS won more than 45 percent . votes), they were also able to manage so as not to make the funding from the EU. Some accuse them that since the Union is to have sailed the greatest stream of money. “I have a farm, on which I can afford. And one tractor. I do not supermaszyn. I live modestly, but I am unable to support the family with its own funds, without the help of subsidies. And without counting officials, who have never role not understand. As a result, now I do not cry, “- writes in the online commentary on one of the Podlasie farmers.
On the other hand, to get payment EU, must meet a number of criteria and not as easy as some people claim , “the Brussels milk.” Besides, in the same way, the EU subsidizes each year those who want to start a private nursery, beauty salon, studio floristic and confectionery. Benefiting from EU support could be enumerate so indefinitely, farmers are just one of them.
Anyway, no longer of taking money in all the confusion with the agency concerned, but that the payment after just the farmers belong. A ARMA should do everything so that the Union procedures meet.
It’s not us, then they
Meanwhile, the new authorities are bending over backwards to to calm the situation. On the one hand trying to collect the milk that has already spilled, the other found guilty. At a hastily convened press conference and issued messages placed on the homepage of the service agency explains that the delay in payments is the only fault system. Specifically wine the previous government. It is the actions of the previous DIRECTOR agencies would lead to a dramatic situation in which there is at present the majority of farmers. If not for this delay, if not erroneous system, most of the money owed to farmers could be paid in December and January. And all this confusion would not be. “At that time management was fully aware that the system will not be built on time, and delays are significant. Proof of this is the signature of the first addendum to the contract with the company Asseco (contractor system), according to which the first part of the payments made in 2016. Might sail to the farmers until March “- highlights the ARMA in a statement.
Apparently the current management could not accept the provisions of the annex to the agreement with the contractor system. With the explanation that if he had not agreed to, neither in January nor in February, the farmers would not receive any payment. “In this situation, the new management has taken corrective action quickly and as a result of tough negotiations with the contractor system has signed two new annexes, guaranteeing payment to farmers at least 3.1 billion zł in January, and then the next 2 billion zł. We have developed a new, realistic timetable for payments of direct subsidies. Secured were also funds for their implementation “- calms ARMA.
For farmers, for which timely payments of EU means to be or not to be, but this is rather convoluted explanation. Seeds for these assurances and a message on the website will not buy. Just as they do not get the no fertilizer and other ingredients necessary for the spring sowings. – Until now, the system worked as it should. Every year everything was in line with the deadlines. Money often they affect our accounts even at the end of the previous calendar year. As a result, one could plan everything. So why right now the system stopped working? Maybe it is not the fault of the system, but it supports the new staff that there was no one to implement, because the previous was quickly poured? It’s hard not to associate it with cleansing agency – complains Charles, a young farmer from this region. – We have the end of February, and the money was not there, so no. As this goes on, you will have everything to lease.
For one hectare of the farm from 3 to 30 hectares within the framework of direct payments the farmer gets an average of 100 euros, this year should receive the payment for greening (approx. 71 euros per hectare), start farming for 41 years (approx. 59.8 euros per hectare) and the so-called. additional payment in support of small and medium-sized enterprises (approx. 40 euros per hectare). In addition, also gets a few dozen euros per cow, cattle, sheep, goats (provided you have at least three head of cattle, cows, 10 pieces of sheep and goats five pieces) and a few hundred euros from plants. The most profitable is the hop (480 euro per hectare), but also tomatoes, beets and potato starch (400 euros per hectare). – With subsidies afford improved seeds, organic fertilizers. The less money, the quality of the crop is lower – says Karol. – Alone or not he will work several dozen hectares. I have to hire seasonal workers, which in turn have to pay. Someone will accuse me that Reaching Brussels that increased with the Union, but if you look at other industries, what other business was created thanks to EU subsidies. I often non-refundable.
Miroslaw Maliszewski, deputy PSL is outraged shedding responsibility for the unpaid fee to the previous government. The blame for the delay blamed entirely new management. A thoroughly cleansing staff conducted after the seizure of power, and taking care of their own interests. – Even for a large part of our management farmers received payment, that is, the system worked, and somehow after the appointment of a new management system began to break down – says Maliszewski. – There has been a revolution system, but personnel. A enough to hold off for a while so large roszadami employees. You can make them in a few months, when farmers have already received payments. It really would not be the end of the world, if their predecessors brought the case to the end. And they disembarked from the saddle during most complicated procedures. Exchanges of people made during the hottest possible for each farmer. And now it is surprising that something is falling apart – says Maliszewski.
Furthermore, the exchange of staff is still ongoing. Some departments are already new managers county, in others they are acting or not have them at all. On the question of who is at the moment applications for subsidies, we hear the agency that … ordinary workers. Except that, according to exempt managers of the county with them have lost their jobs three-quarters of the team. – They flew steering, but also flew regular employees. From what I know, are new, abductees from the roundup, work on weekends, to save the situation, but I think some are hoping for a miracle – adds Marcin, a former manager. – In addition, the rank and file employees do not undertake verification of applications, are the dirty work, and not issuing a decision.
In search of the lost months
Luke , another of the more than three hundred managers exempt agency, admits that last year it was decided to build a second, parallel system. However, this system was intended to complement the first, and do not completely replace it.
Besides the old, established several years, still functioned flawlessly.
– in 2004. we created a system of direct payments, doing it one of the large companies. She started really early as 2002., Then made standard system. No matter how large was the farm, everyone got a subsidy per hectare. In 2004. We had temporary workers. For many years obrabialiśmy these applications manually. We know that not everything can dress up in algorithms, each case is individual. Zapisywaliśmy everything by hand and then we passed to the system. Year after year. Then as now even the system work, too many requests took up manually. Even the best system is no substitute for everything. And somehow it played and it worked – recalls Luke. – Since 2015. We worked on two systems, the old and the new. They included new forms of payment – greening, the aid for young farmers, the additional payment. More profitable to reportedly build additional system instead of extending old. But despite such a dual system of work somehow everything succeeded. To the time when there was a change in power. Replacement workers on people from the outside, not familiar with the system, and in the most busy agency period this was the nail in the coffin.
Former employees also add that at the end of last year worked really on half-heartedly. – The current delays in subsidies to farmers is the result of wasted several months late last year. Once we had elections last year – already in October was lost. Two, the government has focused on advances after the strikes of farmers demanding assistance after drought etc. And then they began reshuffling staff in the control panel. Instead, verify the conclusions we lost time on fear and waiting for guidance from above – talk.
– If no personnel changes, work on two systems would have no impact on the timeliness of payments. But in November last year, shortly after the change of management, work on applications for grants have been us locked – admits Luke. – Nothing else in the computer not see beyond that, who was fired and who replaces him. Who canceled, who called. Nobody gave commands people to work on the proposals. We were stuck, afraid of what will happen. A farmers make a lot of mistakes in applications, all you have to manually correct, and it should do after the first naliczeniach. Meanwhile, the panel dealt only replacing staff – says former manager.
going to be tough plowing
The new managers county or learn, or They have not yet found. Agency explained that is under repair after predecessors. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. To pay all EU subsidies have been only four months. According to the Act 30 June 2016. This deadline by which the money must be paid. In previous years, farmers have filed applications in the spring, and already in November, December of the previous year have funds in your account. – The usual fee was paid in full to the beginning of March. As a result, farmers can prepare for the new season. Meanwhile, in February comes to an end, and the end of the payments can not see – says Piotr.
How calculates the agency, to the beginning of February 2016. Paid approx. 6.03 billion zł in respect of direct payments for 2015 r., which accounted for nearly 42 per cent. the so-called. the financial envelope for this purpose. – February ends, and to pay still remains almost 60 percent. subsidies. Poorly I see it unfortunately. The worst part is that farmers really what year plan to work, depending on the received subsidies. The practice ground is a heavy piece of bread. And as this goes on, they start to przebranżawiać, and the land would go to waste – warns Peter.
Every year, the payment of subsidies is also verified by the auditors of the EU. They check inter alia, preparation of civil servants dealing with grants: training, knowledge of EU procedures, EU law. – Each employee, even at the lowest level, must pass exams in individual procedures. Currently there are possible e-training, but the exam is not already virtual. Carried out by the commission, the regional office of the agency. Employee involved in the subsidies must pass the exam. I wonder how our successors intend to reconcile the exams with the accelerated rescue applications – says Luke.
Sam panel calms but “carried out in the recent personnel changes in ARMA related to a few percent of employees and caused they were among lack of preparation agencies to implement the new system of direct payments in the 2015 campaign. The changes in managerial positions in the agency does not have a negative impact on the implementation of area payments for 2015. For the proper conduct are needed primarily engaged employees support requests efficiently operating financial and vertical accountant and fully ready system. The first two elements are working fine, and for the lack of the third corresponds to the previous leadership of ARMA. ” That made the changes are only for the better, assured also in the Sejm, the new head of the agency Daniel Obajtek: “We made some personnel changes, but it only streamline the activities of the agency,” – said Obajtek, adding that everyone has the right to choose their co-workers, and the exchange personnel in ARMA was not dictated by issues of political affiliation.
Purge branches agencies, delays in subsidies. – And after last year’s drought zmordowanych fields of wind hula. For field work closer – worried farmers. I speculate that there is something to fight for. – As if little had recently Polish farmer grief, still there is another problem – Vladimir sighs same password on a draft law on trading in the ground. And worrying, for which he has to drop, he begins to panic that he would return Pegler. That patrimony will go to waste, and the evil agency for all put a paw. Though rumored farmers have nothing to fear, the criteria for transfer of the land of the children are unclear. Notary offices are experiencing a real boom so. Who is alive and who can prescribe more patrimony for the old rules. Because the chances that their children after what the napatrzę, you will want to cultivate the land, are small.
