LEADER programme launched in Malta
George Pullicino, Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs has launched the LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Dévelopment de l’Économie Ruralie / Links between the rural economy and development actions) programme in Malta during a press conference held...
George Pullicino, Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs has launched the LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Dévelopment de l’Économie Ruralie / Links between the rural economy and development actions) programme in Malta during a press conference held at Bank of Valletta’s head office in Santa Venera.
The LEADER programme encourages the implementation of integrated, high-quality and original strategies for sustainable development while focusing on partnership and networks of exchange of experience. A budget of €8 million is being administered by three local action groups, GAL Xlokk, Majjistral and Gozo which will be issuing tenders for projects and initiatives to be carried out in tourism, farming, the local development strategy and trans-national cooperation.
“The LEADER Programme is bringing about a public-private partnership through which investment is taking place in our rural areas,” said Mr Pullicino. “This is another important feature of the EU by which we are transmitting the principle of subsidiarity from the central government to regional local action groups”.
“Each local action group will be implementing their local development strategy. This will bring about a further enhanced balance between the economic development and the environment through sustainable development,” continued Mr Pullicino. “The local strategies are being approved and implemented with the assistance of the paying agency”.
Bank of Valletta, in collaboration with the paying agency will be processing all the payments involved in Malta’s Rural Development Plan.
“BoV has designed a financing package that offers added-value to those participating in the LEADER Programme,” said Michael Galea, chief officer operations at Bank of Valletta.
“This financing package includes bridging facilities, the issuing of guarantees and the possibility of advance payments through the BoV 4 Agriculture Package,” continued Mr Galea.
Joe Caruana, head of the paying agency stated: “The launching of the Leader programme is another opportunity for the managing authority of the rural development programme together with the paying agency to strengthen the collaboration with Bank of Valletta in order to provide financial support to the local action groups”.