He said that EUR 953m are planned as part of direct payments for agriculture, food and forestry, EUR 1.09bn are earmarked for the rural development programme, and EUR 300m for the integral part of the state budget.

In line with the draft programme, which is entering a month-long public debate, direct payments will be fully drawn from EU funds in the next financial period, EU funds will also make up 75% of the rural development programme funding, while the rest will come from the home budget.

State Secretary Tanja Strniša explained that the goals of the strategy include food security, quality and safe food, a higher competitiveness of agriculture and the food industry, sustainable use of production resources and a socially sustainable development of rural areas.

Meanwhile, Židan said that the sacrifices made by institutions and experts from the fields of agriculture, food and the environment have been disproportionate so far, which is why internal reserves are presently not being sought.

He explained that budget funding for his ministry for this year would be cut from EUR 800m to EUR 700m in line with the latest proposal by the Finance Ministry, most of it on account of cohesion and EU funding.

The minister feels that the ministry especially has problems with the implementation of cohesion policy related to the environment, as it had EUR 640m on disposal in the seven year financial period, EUR 545m of which from EU funds, but only slightly over EUR 110m have been phased so far.

He moreover identified defaults on payments as becoming a major problem in Slovenian agriculture, while he also announced a stronger focus on the grey economy.