04/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 4 March, the European Commission authorised a Slovak scheme with a budget of approximately €3.32 million which aims at supporting farmers in Slovakia who encounter difficulties as a result of the current economic crisis. Aid under this scheme can be granted until 31 December 2010 (open to farmers in all sub-sectors of primary agricultural production, provided they were not already in difficulty on 1 July 2008 - i.e. before the beginning of the crisis) and will take the form of a direct grant. The new Slovak scheme meets all the conditions of the Temporary Crisis Framework as amended. (L.C./transl.fl)