Rareș Bogdan accuses Ursula von der Leyen of applying double standards to Romania: “she made a mockery of Romanian farmers”

Member of the European Parliament Rareș Bogdan accuses European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of applying double standards to Romania and the other Eastern European states. He argues that Romanian farmers continue to receive lower per-hectare subsidies than farmers in France and Germany and are treated as “second-class Europeans.”

In a Facebook post, Rareș Bogdan says the promise to equalize agricultural payments was not honored in the agreement on the European Union’s 2027 budget, concluded between the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. The MEP says the historic gap between subsidies granted to farmers in the East and West remains unchanged.

According to the figures he presented, the 2027 budget is approaching €200 billion, but just over €40 billion is expected to reach farmers. Rareș Bogdan argues that funds allocated to agriculture have declined compared with previous years, while production costs have increased.

The MEP also criticizes the change in the allocation of cohesion funds. He says Romania will be required to allocate a significant share of the money to the green transition and defense, at the expense of investments in water networks, schools and hospitals. Rareș Bogdan calls for equalizing per-hectare payments to become a “red line” in the next multiannual budget.