SLAVONIAN FARMERS END THEIR WARNING PROTEST

( Editorial: --> 1751 ) PISKOREVCI, Aug 4 (Hina) - Farmers from eastern Croatia ended their one-day warning protest on Tuesday afternoon by removing the agricultural machines used to block roads around the settlement of Piskorevci since 7am. The Association of Farmers from Slavonia and Baranja called the protest as part of demands that the net buying price of wheat be set at 1.10 kuna per kilogram for all agricultural producers. Following the protest, organisers called a press conference in which they repeated the Association's basic demands that all wheat producers be paid with the same price guaranteed by the Croatian Government. Farmers also asked the Government and Finance Ministry to make a decision on the protective price and its application to the value added tax (VAT). They have also demanded the Government and Agriculture and Forestry Ministry to apply the VAT from the autumn for the remaining crops, especially oil crops, so that it could be added to the protective price. At the same time the Association has sought a momentary import ban on all agricultural products which domestic farmers can produce. "We are still prepared to discuss all these problems with the Government, and the deadline for talks is from August 6 to 15," Association secretary Stanko Zdravcevic said. He added that farmers in this period would seek help from "all legal subjects in Croatia". If our demands are not satisfied, we will organise arranged protests across Slavonia and Baranja, Zdravcevic said. These conclusions had been sent to President Franjo Tudjman, the Croatian National Parliament and the Croatian Government. Association supervisory board chairman Slavko Novakovic said up to now about 700 people had signed a petition on the situation in agriculture, and signatures would continue to be collected up to August 15 in all five counties of the Slavonia region. Organisers expressed satisfaction that there were no incidents associated with today's protest and there was cooperation with police in directing traffic. (Hina) mbr 041805 MET aug 98