Stoisits: AMA belated with support payments for farmers

More than 4,000 farmers are currently waiting for the EU subsidies that are paid by the Agrar Markt Austria (AMA). The outstanding environmental subsidies (ÖPUL), compensations for disadvantaged areas and also the unitary bonus for companies add up to about 60 million €. Usually, this support is paid no later than November and December. For many small businesses the current delay is threatening their existence. Two Lower Austrian companies turned to Ombudswoman Stoisits.

Although an organic farmers had met all the requirements in the review, its funding in the amount of 7,500 € was not paid in 2010 - a huge problem for him because on his small farm the EU payments account for 40 percent of its revenue. AMA had not informed him about the delay or even cancellation of the payment. According to the EU requirements, at least 5 percent of the applicants have to be controlled each year. The farmers concerned are the ones that have not yet been controlled, the investigation reports of AMA have not been assessed yet – this is the case for about 4,500 farms. For these farmers, planning is virtually impossible, equipment was purchased on credit and cannot be paid now.

The AMA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management said that according to EU regulations, payments would be made as soon as the review of the act or process regarding the eligibility criteria has been completed. In September 2010, the European Commission had asked Austria to use these criteria consequently, otherwise penalties would be possible.

Ombudswoman Stoisits: „Since 2007, the approach is clear. Nothing has changed – the handling has perfectly worked in the past years. The farmers have not been informed or not accurately timed and have calculated with this money. Although it is not their fault, they have to wait.”

The representative of the AMA announced that payments will be effected at the earliest possible time - some as early as February, others in April 2011. In all provinces temporary solutions were offered. The farmers concerned could take a loan at their bank and until the date of disbursements, the interests will be paid by AMA. For Ombudswoman Stoisits this is still no solution: it remains unclear how the payments will be effected next year, the same situation must be prevented in 2011.

Re-examination: Open school system

A school in Liesing, Vienna, has replaced previous after-school supervision with an “open school” system. Since the change parents have been complaining increasingly about the deteriorating quality of the new system.

Fewer staff, who are poorly trained, have to supervise more children. Previously there were between five and eight children in a class; now 20 children are supervised by one tutor. Often staff are employed after only 4 to 12 months’ training. Additionally there is a lack of space and therefore children are sometimes supervised in school corridors. As a result quality has declined, but charges have stayed the same. This has led displeased parents to contact Ombudswoman Stoisits.

In the broadcast of 24 October 2009 a representative of the municipality of Vienna, school’s department, stated that, in accordance with legislation separated system has been abandoned and replaced by a system of entire school supervision. Due to increasing pupil numbers, more children need after-school supervision. He argued that criticism of the new scheme is not justified, because the staff to pupil ratio is the same as in other schools, and further, supervisors are under an obligation to undertake continuing training.

Ombudswoman Stoisits pointed out that Austrian Ombudsman Board is not against open school system, but wants to highlight the concrete decline in standards. The investigation undertaken by the Ombudsman Board found all complaints to be legitimate. Reduced staff in comparison to the number of children and little training time are the most serious problems. Four month training is not comparable to education, which lasts 5 years. Parents demand that the high training requirements, space requirements and staff-chid ratio that existed previously be maintained. Vienna authorities have not provided an answer to the Austrian Ombudsman Board yet. Ombudswoman Stoisits demanded that the complaints be taken seriously and that the old standards be reinstalled, especially as charges have stayed the same.

The current situation is still unsatisfying. Parents said that the problems remain the same. More staff, and better trained staff, is needed. Ombudswoman Stoisits: “Nothing has changed. The supervision is still inadequate. Originally, high trained staff employed by the municipality of Vienna was working there, now there are supervisors employed by an association. The municipality of Vienna seems to try to avoid secure contracts of employment.”

The Austrian Ombudsman Board is investigating whether the contract awarding procedure for the association was correct.