FARMERS HOLD PROTESTS DUE TO UNPAID WHEAT

BILJE, Sept 20 (Hina) - A little after 10:00 hours Wednesday members of the Association of Farmers of Slavonia and Baranja (ZUSSB) set up their agricultural machinery on the road near the eastern Croatian town of Bilje, thus marking the beginning of a protest because of the incomplete payment of this year's wheat. The protest began with the blocking of only one traffic lane, but periodically allowing vehicles to pass both ways. The traffic is being regulated by local police. Organisers of the protest say it will be decided later whether both lanes of the road from Osijek leading to the Hungarian border would be closed off for half an hour. ZUSSB's secretary Stanko Zdravcevic told reporters traffic in the Djakovo area was also being blocked in Punitovci, Potnjani, Pleternica, Lipik and Nova Kapela, while he had no confirmation about Gundinci, Vrpolje and Zupanja. "According to information provided by our members, besides the 'In- Cubo' company, the wheat has not been completely paid off by the state's Directorate for Commodity Stockpiles. We would like the road block to end today and the wheat to be paid," ZUSSB president Antun Lasko said, adding the main culprits for the non-payment of wheat were officials of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and the Economy Ministry. (hina) lml