ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - The steering board of the Croatian Farmers Association (HSS) considers Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic's statement about suspension of the ban on beef imports from the EU irresponsible and contrary to the
interests of Croatian farmers and dangerous for the health of Croatian citizens, the HSS said in a statement on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - The steering board of the Croatian Farmers
Association (HSS) considers Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic's
statement about suspension of the ban on beef imports from the EU
irresponsible and contrary to the interests of Croatian farmers and
dangerous for the health of Croatian citizens, the HSS said in a
statement on Wednesday.#L#
At a session held on Tuesday evening, the steering board decided to
organise consultations in HSS branches "to prepare for the fight for
the interests of farmers and ordinary people, who have the right to
eat healthy domestic food," reads the statement.
"At a time when the new government is making cuts in budgetary funds
for farming worth hundreds of millions of kuna and being aware that
the previous government's farming funds, which were much bigger, were
not sufficient because of preparations for membership in the EU, the
HSS calls for the general mobilisation of farmers and farming
associations as it is becoming clear to us that the new government is
continuing the old Tudjman policy which favoured imports over domestic
production," reads the statement.
The national council in charge of monitoring bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) suggested last week that the Agriculture Ministry
allow the import of cows and beef from the EU countries with the
lowest incidence of mad cow disease. Cobankovic said the decision on
suspension of the ban on beef imports from some EU countries would be
adopted as soon as the council reached a final decision.
(Hina) rml sb