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Simon: My Predecessors to Blame for Suit about Tokaj Wine Brand
Monday 26 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 26 (TASR) - Hungary has filed a suit against the European Commission (EC) for marking part of Slovakia with the geographical designation 'Wine Region Tokaj' in the EU wine registry E-Bacchus, Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development Minister Zsolt Simon told a press conference on Monday.
"It's a result of the unqualified and unprofessional approach by my ministerial predecessors – primarily the last two (Stanislav Becik and Vladimir Chovan, both LS-HZDS)," said Simon.
According to Simon, in 2005 Slovakia noted into its Viniculture Act that it has a 'Wine Region Tokaj'. "My predecessors, specifically minister Becik, in 2009 changed this name in the Viniculture Act to 'Tokaji Wine Region'. At the time we were asking for registering the brand 'Wine Region Tokaj' into the (EU) electronic registry. It isn't one and the same thing to have Tokaj or (some of its adjectival variations as declined in the Slovak language). It must be Tokaj (as a noun)," said Simon.
In February 2010 the EC registered into the electronic registry the name 'Wine Region Tokaj', while Slovakia at the time didn't have support for this brand in its domestic legislation, stressed Simon.
"I can't understand why my predecessors endangered the brand Tokaj," said Simon, who added that there are real prospects for Slovakia of losing it now. "I was pointing to it (this possibility) as an (Opposition) MP," said Simon.
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