Moldovan farmers will block traffic on national highways as a protest against the Government inactivity, said former Agriculture Minister Valeriu Cosarciuc, Chairman of the National Farmers Federation, during Wednesday’s news conference at Infotag.

 

He motivated this decision by the fact that after the March 27 warning protest, no reaction followed from the authorities. According to him, in the branch, which is called strategic in all the documents of the Government and the ruling alliance, up to 35% working-age population is employed and it brings 40% of the GDP.

 

“And what is the attitude to us? The branch is in a catastrophic condition, while farmers are allocated only 610 million lei for subsidies, according to the draft budget 2015, which is twice less than necessary. In order to keep the branch afloat, 2 billion lei are necessary. The Government says it does not have this money. However, for repaying 12 billion lei from banks, the Government takes the money from the National Bank of Moldova (NBM). Why fuels and lubricants can not be purchased and the spring field works can not be credited also under the Government’s guarantees on beneficial terms”, wonders Cosarciuc.

 

He expressed an opinion that nothing can be said about the Moldovan fruit and vegetables’ competitiveness in conditions of free market as long as the government does not care of supporting farmers.

 

“In the neighboring Romania, 60 euros are annually allocated per one hectare of agricultural land. There are compensations on seeds, fertilizers and fuels and lubricants. In Moldova everyone ignores farmers – starting from the Government to commercial banks”, says Cosarciuc.

 

Alexandru Slusari, Chairman of the National Union of Agricultural Producers' Associations UniAgroProtect said that after the March protest, authorities urgently took three steps.

 

“They have hastily developed the state budget with a doubtful and taken from nowhere figure of 610 million lei for the subsidy fund. The second is the shocking raising from 8% to 20% of the VAT for meat producers. The third is putting road signs “No tractors” on both entrances to Chisinau Central Square. I would like to say to the Government and the Parliament that agrarians will come to Chisinau by all types of agriculture machines, if a dialog with them is not started”, warned Slusari.

 

According to him, April 15 protest action will be divided in 2 stages.

 

“Initially, we will block national roads by agriculture machinery. If this has no effect, we will go marching on Chisinau. What else can we do if the branch is in the doldrums, while authorities do nothing?” said the social activist.

 

He explained that protest actions of the Farmers’ Federation, UniAgroProtect, Agroinform and Moldova-Fruct have no political overtones and the main demand is respecting the working peasantry.