The farmers who protested in the Great National Assembly Square of Chisinau on Decembers 9 decided to return home. They said that if they do not have an appropriate response until next Monday, 10am, they will return to central Chisinau in a larger number. The protesters noted that as a result of discussions with representatives of the Parliament’s commission on agriculture and food industry, they were assured that effort will be made to identify funds for paying compensations of 3,000 lei/ha to them and to keep the VAT rate at 8%, IPN reports.

Vasile Myrzenko, executive director of the National Farmers Federation, thanked the participants in the protest and the police officers who maintained public order. He said the farmers took to the streets not to beg, but to seek justice. “We do not want more than we deserve,” stated Vasile Myrzenko. “The tractors are our tanks. With them we will fight against corruption in this country.”

Vadim Ciobanu, a farmer from Rezina, noted the courage of the farmers who overcame fear and intimidation and came to the protest. According to him, after discussions with MP Radu Mudreac, chairman of the commission on agriculture and food industry, the farmers were promised that the VAT rate of 8% on primary agricultural production will be kept.

The protesters demonstrated peacefully. An entrepreneur from Iordanovca village of Basarabeasca district served them with pies.