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Farmer Threatens To Bring 1,250 Cows To Govt HQ, In Protest To Romania’s Lack Of Support

A Romanian farmer warned Tuesday Agriculture Ministry officials, during the Mediafax Talks about Romanian Agriculture seminar, that he would bring his 1,250 cows to the headquarters of the government, ministry and presidential palace, upset that the state doesn’t support farmers.
Farmer Threatens To Bring 1,250 Cows To Govt HQ, In Protest To Romania’s Lack Of Support
22 sept. 2009, 15:29, English

Victor Chivu, a farmer in Teleorman, southern Romania, owns 1,250 cows and said he is very dissatisfied with the low subsidies in agriculture and the low price of milk and warned he would bring his cows and protest in Bucharest.

„If you fail to understand farmers’ problems, I’ll bring them all to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Government, the Parliament and the presidential palace,” Chivu said addressing Agriculture Ministry state secretary Liviu Harbuz and Chamber of Deputies agriculture committee president Valeriu Tabara.

Chivu complained that farmers were promised subsidies of 400 lei (EUR1=RON4.2552) per hectare in January this year, but subsidies remained simple promises.

„What will you do about the price of milk, which has lowered very much? What about subsidies per hectare?” the farmer asked.

He added he thinks Romanian farmers should get subsidies similar to those in Poland, Hungary or France.

„We have used our homes and cars as bank guarantees. I have nothing left. What else do they want? A kidney? Banks are the biggest thieves in Romania,” Chivu said, criticizing the high interests perceived by banks for loans.

Another farmer, also from Teleorman, said a bank asked him for RON7 million in guarantees for a RON1.9 million loan.