Farmers Shocked by Ignorance

We are shocked by the ignorance, stated representatives of around 300 dissatisfied farmers in the Croatian Parliament after no one from the Government, in front of which they protested today, received them.

The representatives of the farmers were received in Parliament by the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Franjo Lucić (HDZ).

Due to uncertainties regarding the payment of subsidies, we requested to be received by the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, but this did not bear fruit. We are shocked by the ignorance, said Stjepan Kunovec from the Committee for Associations of the Croatian Chamber of Agriculture.

Kunovec complained that the payment of subsidies is not transparent, that it is unclear which funds for subsidies are planned and which have been paid.

The two ministers, Linić and Jakovina, give contradictory statements, the former claims that everything has been paid, while the latter states that the remaining amount will only be paid by June 30, says Kunovec.

Petar Franjić from the Baranjska brazda association accuses Minister of Agriculture Tihomir Jakovina of an ignorant attitude towards producers.

Jakovina has not had a proper meeting with his producers in a year and a half of his mandate, we do not need such a minister, Franjić stated.

Antun Vrankić calls on the Prime Minister to keep his promise that he “will not forget Slavonia,” which he claims he made last summer while touring drought-affected Slavonia.

Around 300 dissatisfied farmers protested in front of the Government due to the non-payment of subsidies in full and other problems in the agricultural sector, demanding to discuss this with the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Agriculture and Finance.

Minister Jakovina stated that the majority of subsidies for 2012 have been paid and that the protest is unfounded.

The representatives of the farmers were not received with the explanation that there is no need for that, as his ministry has explained the situation several times.