The farmers resumed the protests in the morning of December 22, after a pause of three days. They continue to demand compensations of 3,000 lei per hectare of first group grain crops affected by drought. The carriers and representatives of the hospitality industry are expected to join in, IPN reports.
Vasile Myrzenco, executive director of the National Farmers Federation, said the farmers asked for meetings with the Premier, minister of finance and MPs, but the reactions were superficial. He said the farmers have exact demands and, if the authorities reacted appropriately to them, they wouldn’t have been in the central square of Chisinau now.
Vasile Myrzenco admitted that the protesters sympathize with some of the political parties because these made common cause with them and made them understand that money for compensations can be found in the adopted budget. This is not a politically motivated protest.
According to Vasile Myrzenco, the farmers crossed some lines during the protest, but those who caused it should assume such behavior. The keeping of the VAT rate of 8% on agricultural production is a success, but not a sufficient one. If the farmers are unable to start the year appropriately, the national economy and the state budget will be affected.
Farmer Ion Plămădeală said some of the protesters were intimidated into giving up protesting. But those who took to the streets just want agriculture to be the main sector of the country. A professional government is needed to ensure high-value agriculture. “We are few, but are strong,” stated the man.
Protester Sergiu Stefanco warned the press and the international organizations about the intimidations to which their mates from Leușeni, Ungheni and other regions were subject. “There is no one with whom we could discuss in this Government and Parliament. We must get money or we will lose agriculture. The rulers lobbied for their interests and during 30 years brought agriculture to its knees so as to make money from imports,” stated the farmers.
The protest is mounted in the Great National Assembly Square of Chisinau.
