Alexandru Slusari Quits Leadership of Farmers’ Power

Former MP Alexandru Slusari is leaving the post of executive director of the Power of Farmers Association. He noted that he had warned back in January of his intention to leave after his term expired. On 1 March at the meeting of the organization’s board it was officially announced. Slusari cited the impossibility of further dialogue with the authorities after the protests in recent months as the reason for his resignation. “My work involves a constant dialogue with the government representatives I can no longer debate with those who have virtually contributed to the destruction of hundreds of micro, small and medium grain and oilseed farmers in two years by their inaction. (...) We have been sounding the alarm since the summer of 2022. I have demonstrated several times in detail what awaits amidst the war in Ukraine, when we are on the front line and we do not have the reserve of resistance that farmers in Europe have. We have proposed a state of emergency in agriculture, restrictions on imports of grain and oilseeds from Ukraine, a moratorium on the repayment of agrarians’ debts, and a quick appeal to external partners for financial support. There was no reaction or it was extremely delayed. In 2023 alone, the direct losses of grain and oilseed producers exceeded 5 billion lei due to the huge discrepancy of the exorbitantly increased costs of agricultural production, tripled interest on loans and sharply collapsed prices for raw materials,” Slusari wrote. According to him, the proposals of the farmers’ association to save micro and small farms were simply ignored by officials at all levels. “When farmers in November-December 2023 protested with agricultural machinery in Chisinau and desperately shouted that bankruptcy was approaching, there was no reaction. Even that gift of diesel fuel from Romania the government failed to bring until today. In February, disaster struck. Only now, after more serious protests, the Ministry of Agriculture has come up with mechanisms for guaranteed loans, needed no later than autumn 2023. Many agricultural producers can no longer be saved. No one has resolved this situation. No one has resigned,” said the former MP. He accused Agriculture Minister Vladimir Bolea of incompetence and indulging the interests of transnational companies. Slusari said that he remained in touch with the association and would provide as much help as possible, but no longer work as closely as in his former post.