Serbian farmers continue protests

Agriculture Minister Dusan Petrovic and farmers, who are protesting against reduced subsidies, failed to reach an agreement late last night. Pancevac Farmers Association President Miodrag Radanov said that the minister had once again offered to increase the size of subsidized land from 10 to 30 hectares but that farmers were not satisfied. Serbian farmers continue protests Farmers Association Assembly President Miroslav Ivkovic said that farmers would continue with “even fiercer” attempts to get to Belgrade and explained that farmers were using between 6,000 and 7,000 tractors. “We are not the ones blocking the roads and citizens should know that. Police are blocking the roads because they are preventing us from going to Belgrade,” he pointed out. B92 reporter from Pancevo has said that the situation almost has not changed since Tuesday. All exits from Pancevo have been blocked. However, a road toward Romania was unblocked in the meantime. The farmers have announced that they will let vehicles through every 15 minutes starting from 14:00 CET at the new road leading to Pancevo. Only ambulance and emergency cases can drive through at the moment. The only way to exit Pancevo is on foot or by train. Gendarmerie officers have left and police are now providing safety. According to the Automobile and Motorcycle Association of Serbia (AMSS), all roads leading to Pancevo, aside from the road to Kovin, are blocked. Roads from Novi Sad to Temerin and Cirik, between Vrbas and Kula and Belgrade-Zrenjanin road have also been blocked. SPO calls on farmers to end protest Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) called on farmers today to stop blocking the roads and find the best solutions through negotiations, which would improve position of farmers and all people living in rural areas. “We believe that there is no realistic cause for such a drastic form of protest because Agriculture Minister Dusan Petrovic’s last proposal would practically protect producers with properties smaller than 30 hectares, and there are more than 90 percent of them, while restrictive measures strictly refer to large landowners,” the SPO said in a statement. “Subsidies system for agricultural production which is implemented in the European Union would solve most of the problems the Serbian farmers are facing and that’s why they should be most committed to Serbia’s Euro-Atlantic course,” the announcement reads. Far-right organization members join protesters Farmers from the municipality of Mladenovac have entered the town in their tractors and are getting ready to leave for Belgrade in order to show their support to Vojvodina farmers. There are several dozens of tractors and a large number of police officers who are preventing them from leaving for Belgrade. Many members of far-right organization Nasi 1389 are also among the protesting farmers.

Serbian farmers continue protests

Farmers Association Assembly President Miroslav Ivković said that farmers would continue with “even fiercer” attempts to get to Belgrade and explained that farmers were using between 6,000 and 7,000 tractors.

“We are not the ones blocking the roads and citizens should know that. Police are blocking the roads because they are preventing us from going to Belgrade,” he pointed out.

B92 reporter from Pančevo has said that the situation almost has not changed since Tuesday. All exits from Pančevo have been blocked. However, a road toward Romania was unblocked in the meantime.

The farmers have announced that they will let vehicles through every 15 minutes starting from 14:00 CET at the new road leading to Pančevo. Only ambulance and emergency cases can drive through at the moment.

The only way to exit Pančevo is on foot or by train.

Gendarmerie officers have left and police are now providing safety.

According to the Automobile and Motorcycle Association of Serbia (AMSS), all roads leading to Pančevo, aside from the road to Kovin, are blocked. Roads from Novi Sad to Temerin and Ćirik, between Vrbas and Kula and Belgrade-Zrenjanin road have also been blocked.

SPO calls on farmers to end protest

Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) called on farmers today to stop blocking the roads and find the best solutions through negotiations, which would improve position of farmers and all people living in rural areas.

“We believe that there is no realistic cause for such a drastic form of protest because Agriculture Minister Dušan Petrović’s last proposal would practically protect producers with properties smaller than 30 hectares, and there are more than 90 percent of them, while restrictive measures strictly refer to large landowners,” the SPO said in a statement.

“Subsidies system for agricultural production which is implemented in the European Union would solve most of the problems the Serbian farmers are facing and that’s why they should be most committed to Serbia’s Euro-Atlantic course,” the announcement reads.

Far-right organization members join protesters

Farmers from the municipality of Mladenovac have entered the town in their tractors and are getting ready to leave for Belgrade in order to show their support to Vojvodina farmers.

There are several dozens of tractors and a large number of police officers who are preventing them from leaving for Belgrade.

Many members of far-right organization Naši 1389 are also among the protesting farmers.