CHEAP FOREIGN WINES ARE DESTROYING OUR VINEYARDS

Honest Slovak winegrowers are still troubled by cheap wines from abroad. The current parliament also wants to help Slovak winemakers. Juraj Gyimesi, a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic for the OĽaNO movement, indicated that the problem with cheap foreign wines should be solved by greater regulation in this business. For example, an excise tax and wine stamp duty could be introduced. A higher subsidy per kilogram of grapes grown in Slovakia could be introduced. However, according to the member, it is important to finally introduce wine quality controls by the financial administration. The customs authorities confirm that there is no wine control. There is no record of how much wine is from abroad.

The MP is not opposed to approving a law that would consider wine adulteration a criminal offense. The Slovak Winegrowers' and Winemakers' Association does not consider the introduction of an excise tax or wine stamp duty to be appropriate measures.

We will have to wait and see what the new legislation will look like. A working group is currently working at the Ministry of Agriculture on an amendment to the Viticulture and Winemaking Act.

We just have to believe that the introduced greater regulation in the Slovak wine industry will benefit Slovak winemakers. Greater regulation has rarely led to solving problems. Rather, it has led to greater bureaucracy, which we have been trying to reduce since the founding of our state. It's just that somehow it still doesn't work.