Farmers won't give up protests: 'Our demands remain the same'
Farmers are out protesting again. Along with farm equipment, dozens of farmers headed for the capital. Prime Minister Dorin Recean today held a meeting with representatives of the Moldovan Farmers' Association, where the head of government announced that further action will be taken to support farmers. However, farmers are not giving up their protests. They say that tomorrow they plan to arrive with agricultural equipment in the centre of the capital.
Farmers say they are unhappy about the rise in fuel prices and the almost threefold increase in interest rates on loans, and tomorrow they want to take their farming equipment to the centre of the capital.
Since this morning, farmers from several districts of the country have set off with their farming equipment to Chisinau. They brought the equipment to the entrances to the capital, where four parking places have been authorised. Those from the south of the country stopped near the Southern Bus Station. Farmers blocked a stretch of road.
VOX Farmers: "First of all, in our country all the inputs, all the seeds, all the spare parts for tractors are much more expensive than in Romania and Ukraine. The price of grain is very low compared to Romania";
"This year we have already asked for 3,000 lei for the first group because in some areas the drought is very much felt. The VAT problem has not been solved yet."
The protesting farmers also blocked a road near the town of Edinet. Farmers from the centre of the country who had set off for the capital parked their equipment along the road near Chisinau International Airport. Farmers say they are also demanding higher compensation for crops damaged by the drought and a ban on grain imports from Ukraine.
VOX farmers: "We are in an economic abyss because we have low grain prices below our cost. Now, when we have been working and we have in a week or two to harvest the crop, we have nowhere to sell it and even if we find a buyer it is below the sinecost price.";
"Our demands have remained the same, although there are many problems in agriculture and the whole branch is in a total mess, but we have put forward some of them so that we can stabilize financially.";
"To make some kind of reimbursement, to increase the price of agricultural products."
Farmers say they will move their farming equipment to the centre of the capital. Prime Minister Dorin Recean and representatives of Moldovan farmers' associations held further talks during which the authorities announced new actions to support farmers affected by the regional economic crisis.
At the same time, solutions will be found to replace exports and compensate for the losses suffered by farmers. Agriculture Minister Vladimir Bolea said that in the last two weeks, all operational and management measures have been taken, as a result of which the Agency for Intervention and Payments for Agriculture has processed over 1,100 applications for subsidies, with over 162 million lei distributed.
