Agriculture Minster Pavel Koncoš has called the expected 2000 state budget allocation for his ministry insufficient, saying it does not make provision for the major damage caused by floods this year 1999 flood damages have reached 2.78 billion crowns ($67 million), but state relief has so far amounted to only 300 million crowns, Koncoš said. The flood damage estimate does not include 500 million crowns in damages to the forests of western and central Slovakia, he added.
The cash-strapped Slovak cabinet did not approve any financial compensation for the agriculture sector at its session last week, since its budget reserves have already been depleted. The Agriculture Ministry will restate its claims at the next session, Koncoš said.
