Farmers protested in many parts of the country: the situation is tragic

Moldovan farmers have come out to protest. The farmers say that at a meeting with the prime minister on Tuesday, June 6, they heard “only general promises”. Under these conditions, most small and medium-sized farmers face bankruptcy within a few months. Farmers from the northern parts of the country took their tractors to the roadside in Briceni, Edineti, Ocnita, Balti, Soroca, Falesti. Farmers from Singerei, Causeni, Leova, Hincesti, Cimislia, Basarabeasca and Cahul also came out to protest. From time to time, the protesters begin to honk their horns loudly. “The situation is extremely unfavorable; prices for all goods are high. We want support from the state. In this situation, we cannot cope independently. We are not ready for the new season, we will see if there will be support, now everything is very difficult,” the farmer said. The list of agrarians’ requirements: to compensate before August 1, 2023 of production costs to small and medium-sized farmers in the amount of at least MDL 3,000 per hectare for the first-group crops (wheat, barley, rapeseed); to restrict temporarily by the decision of Emergency Board the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower to the Republic of Moldova from Ukraine, provided that the European Commission extends this restriction for Eastern European countries after June 5, 2023; to oblige the port of Giurgiulesti to export from July 1 to December 31, 2023, only agricultural products of Moldovan origin; to pay all subsidy arrears for 2022 by July 1, 2023; to amend (with effect from June 10, 2023) the Law on VAT Reimbursement Program, in terms of extending the program until the end of the year and expanding the number of beneficiaries and the amounts to be paid.