FARMERS PARTIALLY BLOCK TRAFFIC IN SLAVONIA

VRPOLJE, June 26 (Hina) - The Slavonski Brod-Posavina peasants' alliance organised some two hundred peasants from four Slavonia counties and blocked a cross-roads in the centre of Vrpolje this morning. The farmers are protesting the fact that the price of wheat which is to be bough off has still not been established. Peasants from Slavonski Brod-Posavina, Pozega-Slavonia, Osijek- Baranja and Vukovar-Srijem counties are requesting urgent negotiations with the buyers and the Agriculture Ministry about the buying of wheat at at least 1.32 kuna (approx. US$0.15) per kilogram. The peasants are asking that the buyers pay the expenses and the state to be guarantor for the payments so the wheat could be paid off within agreed deadlines. They are also requesting that the peasants be paid 2,500 kuna stimulation per hectare in the autumn sowing. Farmers blocked traffic towards Djakovo, Vinkovci and Slavonski Brod between 10am and 12pm today, and arrived in Vrpolje with tractors and other equipment. If the requests are not met, the farmers are prepared to stage more massive protests lasting several days, they said. (hina) lml sb