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FARMERS REGARD THE RAISING OF LAND TAX TO BE A KILLING STEP

16 march, 2016
FARMERS REGARD THE RAISING OF LAND TAX TO BE A KILLING STEP Representatives of public organizations, who protect Moldovan farmers’ rights, regard the raising of the land tax by 15% as a killing step for agricultural producers.

 

Alexandru Slusari, Chairman of the National Union of Agricultural Producers' Associations UniAgroProtect reminded at the Wednesday’s news conference at Infotag that the 2015 became shocking for the country’s agrarians.

 

“The closing of the Russian market, problems with the coming out to European markets, the collapsed leu due to stealing of a billion of euros from banks and doubling of the interest rate on bank credits, retaining of compensations – all this has been shouldered on farmers as a heavy burden. While the authorities, instead of saving the branch, are engaged in strangulating it. Many agrarians regarded the recent raising of the land tax as mockery at agreements, reached between farmers and authorities in late summer 2015”, he said.

 

According to Slusari, the total debt of the state to agriculture producers exceeds 500 million lei as of March 1.

 

“In such conditions and given the earlier made statements of authorities about support to farmers, the decision on land tax raising cannot be named anything but immoral”, he said.

 

Agrarians say that by such policy the authorities are considerably destroying the agriculture, which is the fundamental principle of the Moldovan state.

 

“In conditions of the aggravating crisis, we forecast that about 30% of farmers will leave this branch. This means tens of thousands of people, who will remain without work and livelihood. They will leave the country and I do not exclude that their lands will be occupied by 3-4 large land owners. Maybe it is for them the Moldovan village is being brought to ruin. I regard such actions as nothing else but genocide. Recently, I drove through a dozen of villages in different Moldovan raions [districts]. Half of houses are empty. Farmers are running away from their motherland. This is an adequate assessment of the ruling majority and current politicians’ activities”, Slusari said.

 

Former agriculture minister Valeriu Cosarciuc, Chairman of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) said that the country’s agrarians approached spring field works disarmed as never before.

 

“Besides the problems my colleague cited, we have to take into account the consequences of the last year draught, as well as lack of competitiveness even at the internal market. Having no means, farmers are not able to buy quality seeds, fertilizers nor conduct spring field works at the proper level. Even in Ukraine, where there is war, the authorities found the opportunity to invest in agriculture. And now we see expansion of Ukrainian agricultural goods in the Moldovan domestic market. Baking factories, including the large ones, are buying Ukrainian but not Moldovan flour, because it is cheaper”, Cosarciuc said, pointing at the fact that the press conference is not a complaint to the media, but preparing for further activities.

 

Slusari said that namely the protest actions are most efficient forms of civil disobedience.

 

“Remember the Moldovan saying “If village becomes empty – the country becomes empty”. If authorities will keep tightening the stranglehold at the farmers’ neck, the latter should respond to this by actions. Why farmers can protest in Brussels and we, who declare our adherence to European values, cannot? We will soon convene the Coordination Council of Agriculture Organizations and will decide how to act further”, the civil activist said.

 

The news conference was also attended by representatives of the Agroinform and the Moldova-Fruct associations.

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