ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Farmers' Association on Thursday called on the government, police, and magistrates' courts to cease repressing farmers who between June 26 and 30 in protest blocked several Croatian roads. The
association reminded that, after the government and the farmers reached an agreement, Interior Minister Ivan Penic promised no revenge against the protesters. The association today reacted to rulings of the Magistrates' Court in Cazma, which fined the association, the leader of the local protest, and 19 farmers for breaking the Law on Security in Road Traffic. "Cazma has not been chosen out by accident as the place where to punish the farmers, (it was chosen) because the Croatian Peasants' Party rules there," said Ivan Kolar, the president of the farmers' association. Kolar said the government-farmers agreement was being implemented, despite instances of man
ZAGREB, July 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Farmers' Association on
Thursday called on the government, police, and magistrates' courts
to cease repressing farmers who between June 26 and 30 in protest
blocked several Croatian roads.
The association reminded that, after the government and the farmers
reached an agreement, Interior Minister Ivan Penic promised no
revenge against the protesters.
The association today reacted to rulings of the Magistrates' Court
in Cazma, which fined the association, the leader of the local
protest, and 19 farmers for breaking the Law on Security in Road
Traffic.
"Cazma has not been chosen out by accident as the place where to
punish the farmers, (it was chosen) because the Croatian Peasants'
Party rules there," said Ivan Kolar, the president of the farmers'
association.
Kolar said the government-farmers agreement was being implemented,
despite instances of manipulation in the field - some people are
trying to purchase wheat at US$0.1 per kilogram. Wheat will be sold
at a minimum US$0.13 per kilogram, he said, adding the government
had confirmed so after assessing there would be no surplus due to a
poor harvest.
The government will ensure favourable wheat purchase loans to all
potential buyers currently out of money, Kolar said, adding
Agriculture Minister Ivan Djurkic promised the state would
purchase every kilogram of wheat that had not been sold.
Commenting on some analyses indicating Croatia's impending access
to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) could crash Croatian
agriculture, Kolar said he believes Croatia's negotiators will not
let everything end in a mere liberalisation of the import of
agricultural products.
The Croatian Farmers' Association would like an extension of the
deadline for accessing the WTO, to enable Croatian agriculture to
make adequate preparations, Kolar said.
(hina) ha jn