AGREEMENT ON PAYMENT OF DEBT TO FARMERS TO BE SIGNED WEDNESDAY

ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - An agreement on the deadline in line with which Croatian farmers would receive the remaining funds for the wheat, which they handed in for buying, will be signed in the eastern Croatian town of Osijek Wednesday. Because of this agreement, achieved on Tuesday afternoon in the Agriculture Ministry, the Association of Farmers of Slavonija and Baranja (ZUSSB) postponed indefinitely a protest staged on Monday. On Monday, farmers blocked a local road in eastern Croatia insisting on the payment of the wheat they had already handed over and announced the protesters would remove the blockade as soon as they receive the money for the wheat they sold. Agriculture Ministry officials believe that the protest should not have been staged, because the majority of the wheat was already paid. Assistant Agriculture and Forestry Minister Miroslav Pazur said that of 450,000 tonnes of wheat, 55,000 tonnes are still to be paid, namely the debt amounts to between 45 and 50 million kuna. He added that 20 million kuna were paid yesterday. According to him, the protest was partially politically motivated, however, president of the Farmers' Association Antun Laslo harshly denied such accusations. The Association of farmers will demand that a regulation be include in the agreement according to which the remaining wheat is to be paid within the deadline of seven days, or the protest will be staged again. (hina) it jn