Tobacco farmers stage protest

Dissatisfied tobacco farmers gathered today in Belgrade to protest, asking parliament to adopt regulations on bonuses for tobacco farming in 2009. The Association of Tobacco Producers denied earlier announcements by the Ministry of Agriculture that an agreement had been reached and said the offered bonuses were insufficient. Tobacco farmers stage protest But the ministry, in the meantime, maintains that an agreement was reached. Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that the defined arrangement would enable tobacco farmers the right to a reimbursement of RSD 12,000 per hectare and an additional RSD 20,000 for every tobacco-planted surface registered by 2008. It defined cooperation until 2012. In its statement, the ministry also claims there is a chance "producers, multinational corporations, which have a much bigger budget than the Serbian state, are behind the farmers' actions". The statement is denied by the Association of Tobacco Producers, which says an agreement was not reached with the ministry because the state-offered bonuses were insufficient. The protest was planned for 11:00 CET in front of the government building, said Milorad Antonic, president of the Growers’ Society, speaking to B92. “It’s a long story; we entered world markets, we broke agro-technical deadlines and the decision to protest stands. The protest will not be in front of the competent ministry; the protest is not against the ministry; the protest is against the government. It will be a symbolic gathering of 700-800 tobacco farmers,” said Antonic. “If we don’t agree with the prime minister and others in connection with production, that it be the way it is in Europe, in CEFTA member-states, in the whole world, then we will simply have to resort to other ways and it seems to me that for a few days in Serbia there could be many tractors on various roads,” he said. Antonic says that tobacco companies are not responsible for the association's actions. “Those from CEFTA member-states, and other countries, can bring in tobacco. If you import it from CEFTA member-states, it is treated like domestic tobacco and that tobacco can be made into cigarettes without a problem,” he says. “I would be very happy if multinational corporations stood ‘behind our actions’, but they don’t. In fact, it seems to me that there is something else in the background, and that is that production of tobacco in Serbia should be abolished, there should be free markets, steps should be made for import from other states, which would be good for the import business, which would probably be undertaken by someone who needs it,” he said. The Association of Tobacco Producers claims that consequences of abolishing bonuses for tobacco caused 10,000 people to lose their jobs. Tobacco farmers protest today in Belgrade (Tanjug)

Tobacco farmers stage protest

But the ministry, in the meantime, maintains that an agreement was reached.

Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that the defined arrangement would enable tobacco farmers the right to a reimbursement of RSD 12,000 per hectare and an additional RSD 20,000 for every tobacco-planted surface registered by 2008. It defined cooperation until 2012.

In its statement, the ministry also claims there is a chance "producers, multinational corporations, which have a much bigger budget than the Serbian state, are behind the farmers' actions".

The statement is denied by the Association of Tobacco Producers, which says an agreement was not reached with the ministry because the state-offered bonuses were insufficient. The protest was planned for 11:00 CET in front of the government building, said Milorad Antonić, president of the Growers’ Society, speaking to B92.

“It’s a long story; we entered world markets, we broke agro-technical deadlines and the decision to protest stands. The protest will not be in front of the competent ministry; the protest is not against the ministry; the protest is against the government. It will be a symbolic gathering of 700-800 tobacco farmers,” said Antonić.

“If we don’t agree with the prime minister and others in connection with production, that it be the way it is in Europe, in CEFTA member-states, in the whole world, then we will simply have to resort to other ways and it seems to me that for a few days in Serbia there could be many tractors on various roads,” he said.

Antonić says that tobacco companies are not responsible for the association's actions. “Those from CEFTA member-states, and other countries, can bring in tobacco. If you import it from CEFTA member-states, it is treated like domestic tobacco and that tobacco can be made into cigarettes without a problem,” he says.

“I would be very happy if multinational corporations stood ‘behind our actions’, but they don’t. In fact, it seems to me that there is something else in the background, and that is that production of tobacco in Serbia should be abolished, there should be free markets, steps should be made for import from other states, which would be good for the import business, which would probably be undertaken by someone who needs it,” he said.

The Association of Tobacco Producers claims that consequences of abolishing bonuses for tobacco caused 10,000 people to lose their jobs.