Moldovan farmers say to stage protests

Chisinau, 18 March /MOLDPRES/ - Farmers have informed that they would stage protests across Moldova on 27 March. They are discontented with the actions taken to address problems in agriculture.

Agricultural producers disapprove the fact that the fiscal policy for 2015 provides for an increase of the value-added tax (VAT) on agricultural production from 8 to 20 per cent. "Returning to a 20-per cent VAT is the coup de grace, a death blow to agriculture", said UniAgroProtect President Alexandru Slusari at a press conference today.

Farmers are also demanding establishment of a agricultural subsidisation fund worth at least 1.2 billion lei, liberalisation of the oil products market, payment of compensations to all producers who delivered fruits and grapes to processing plants in 2014.

"We have nothing left but start protests. The first stage of the protests will take place on 27 March. We will move agricultural machinery on the national roads and see how the authorities react. If we will see no progress, we will switch to other stages of the protest. The time of promises to farmers has passed", said Alexandru Slusari.

last week, farmers had a meeting with Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici and Agriculture Minister Ion Sula. At the meeting, the minister said the authorities would try to identify solutions to problems in the sector.

(Reporter N. Sandu, Editor L. Alcaza)