Despite the May protest, days of roadblocks and negotiations with the Agriculture Ministry and Serbian Government, Serbian farmers are again taking to the streets because, although it has been five months since the last protest, their demands have still not been met.
The protest was announced by four farmers’ associations –Initiative for the Survival of Serbian Farmers, Association of Agricultural Producers of Subotica, Alliance of the Banat Farmers’ Associations and Association of Aradac Farmers.
Following the farmers’ protests in May this year an agreement was signed with the Serbian Government, but it has still not been implemented.
The Agriculture Ministry said it invited to “open and constructive talks” at 11 am Monday all farmers who believe that, despite everything the state did this year to improve the farmers’ position, it failed to meet a provision of the Agreement signed in May with seven agricultural associations. The Ministry added that “those who opt to seek help out in the streets despite the open invitation for talks are not interested in the well-being of agriculture, but are politically motivated.”
“The Ministry, with Minister Jelena Tanaskovic at helm, condemns any kind of political manipulation in agriculture and calls on all hard-working and well-intentioned farmers not to be taken in by cheap political tricks,” said the Ministry in its press release.
Farmers’ demands include subsidies of 300 euros per hectare of arable land and 100 litres of blue diesel per hectare that is exempt from excise duty.
(Radio Free Europe, 14.11.2023)
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/nastavak-protesta-poljoprivrednika-srbija/32684124.html