Romanian Farmers Stage Protest, Picket Govt HQ

"LAPAR decide to start protest actions and we will request a new meeting with the prime minister," the league said.

League president Marcel Cucu said farmers want to reach Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu as the agriculture sector needs top-level political decisions.

Farmers’ main demands are the payment of subsidies per land surface from EU funds earmarked for 2007, lower diesel fuel prices for the agriculture sector and repair works for irrigation system.

Romania’s agriculture payment agency APIA said it would start authorizing payments this week and farmers are to receive the money by end May. However, farmers need to start spring farm work, which cannot be delayed until May.

The government approved the grant of subsidies of RON1 (EUR1=RON3.7418) per liter of diesel fuel, but farmers also demanded a cut in excises to EUR21 per 1,000 liters.