"The Ministry of Agriculture said on Monday that a €31.7 million relief scheme, which will be earmarked for farmers and SMEs affected by the war in Ukraine, is currently in public debate," the state news platform Hina said on Monday, citing an unsigned press release.

“SME” is Hina’s abbreviation for “Small and Medium-sized Enterprises,” i.e. small businesses.

According to Hina, draft tenders from the Rural Development Program for the implementation of Measure 22, which refers to “extraordinary temporary support to farmers and SMEs that are particularly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” were submitted to the e-consultation procedure.

The goal of this aid is to alleviate the consequences of the war and “ensure the liquidity of farmers and SMEs.” The public consultation will end on 19 January.

Eligible businesses are eco-friendly businesses registered for the processing, marketing, and/or development of agricultural products – with the exception of fishery products. Subject to approval, they will receive one-off support ranging from €3,000 to €25,000.