Moldovan farmers demand the Government to solve the problem of fuels and gas products prices increase, otherwise threatening with protest actions.

Farmers Federation Chairman Valeriu Cosarciuc announced on Tuesday Infotag press conference that farmers sent a letter to Prime Minister Iurie Leanca on March 17, where they insisted on an urgent meeting to discuss the fuel prices increase by 1 lei since the 2014 beginning, which led to 200 million lei damages in agriculture.

“Unfortunately, we received no answer, despite the fact that agriculture is in Moldova a priority branch and one of economy engines. We have repeatedly addressed the Head of Cabinet of Ministers with a proposal to organize debates “On Petroleum Products” and still wait for the reaction. If there will be no answer, we will organize protests already in May. We understand that some ruling politicians want to advertize the European Union Association Agreement and are totally occupied with this, but we remind them that farmers also need attention”, said the former Prime Minister.

He believes that the Republic of Moldova has the highest trade margins on petroleum products – 250 euros per ton comparing to Germany – 81 euros, in Finland – 56 euros and in Belgium – 145 euros.

“We require that farmers to be given right to purchase petroleum products abroad directly from the producers. In this case, the savings would make up to 3 lei per a liter of diesel fuel or more than 600 million lei annually in the branch. And this is much more than the Subsidy Fund budget. It is bad that in Moldova the fuels and lubricants providers have a stronger influence on the situation than the authorities”, said Cosarciuc.

UniAgroProtect Association Director Alexandru Slusari believes that the petroleum products market and the process of price formation have to be maximally open.

“We do not have neither institutions, responsible for prices controlling, nor people who would monitor the possibility of a cartel agreement between providers and officials”, said he.

“We promoted the adoption of law “On petroleum products” to establish clear and understandable market rules. Unfortunately, the Government, after many amendments still did not adopt the law and now the document is accumulating dust on the Ministry of Economy shelves”, said Slusari.

According to him, farmers do not want to depend on the agreements between National Energy Regulation Agency and the petroleum products providers.

“If the prices on fuels and lubricants will decrease as the NERA announced, it will become clear that the recent prices increase is unjustified”, believes Slusari.

The Agroinform National Farmers Federation Director Iurie Hurmuzachi reminded that peasants demand each year that the Subsidies Fund to be increased by 50-100 million lei and now, after the fuel prices increase, damages will account at least 200 million lei.

“Farmers can not be all the time in the state of alert and do not want to suffer from the authorities’ irresponsible attitude towards them”, underlined Hurmuzachi.