Linić Ready to Talk to Farmers

Croatian Finance Minister Slavko Linić stated on Tuesday in Brussels that he is ready to talk to farmers who are protesting for the urgent payment of subsidies, but he deemed road blockades unacceptable.

-“It is not in question that I can, together with my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture, talk to farmers, but personally I cannot accept the way associations express their dissatisfaction by blocking roads just because they say someone promised something,” said Linić, who participated in a meeting of finance ministers from European Union member states in Brussels.

-“We know that the deadlines for subsidy payments are until the end of June and within those deadlines, payment is not a problem. It is not a problem to somehow ensure faster payment; the Minister of Agriculture has considered this possibility several times in the Ministry of Finance. So, that is not a problem, but due to this kind of behavior, the question arises whether these are some political games by people who need to work. I know it is difficult, but no promises are being made. We will fight to ensure the payment of subsidies as soon as possible, but we cannot accept ultimatums from the street; we believe that is not a way of communication,” said Linić.

Farmers, dissatisfied with the state of agriculture, continued yesterday the warning protest that began at several locations, such as Ferovac on the Požega-Našice road, the Ludbreg bypass, and starting today they are also protesting in the Virovitica-Podravina County in the center of Gradina.

The protesters demand urgent payment of subsidies, specifically that 50 percent of the subsidies be paid this week, and the remainder by March 15, and they are calling for amendments to the proposed law on agricultural state land as they believe the proposal favors ‘big players’ at the expense of family farms, as well as addressing the accumulated problems in milk production and processing.

Farmers are also seeking an urgent conversation with Prime Minister Zoran Milanović and Finance Minister Slavko Linić.

Agriculture Minister Tihomir Jakovina has repeatedly stated in recent days that he believes the protest is unnecessary. He notes that the payment of subsidies began in January with the first tranche of 230 million kuna and continues according to the possibilities in the budget, well before the legal deadline for subsidy payments, which is the end of June. The main goal, says Jakovina, is to help farmers better organize the spring planting through earlier subsidy payments.