site.btaAgriculture Minister, Branch Organizations Discuss Measures to Aid Farmers

Minister of Agriculture and Food Kiril Vatev and representatives of branch organizations discussed the signing of an agreement with measures to aid Bulgarian farmers at a meeting in the Agriculture Ministry, the press centre of this ministry said on Monday. The meeting was attended by State Fund Agriculture Executive Director Georgi Tahov, National Agricultural Advisory Service Executive Director Mladen Mladenov, National Association of Potato Growers Chair Todor Dzhikov, United Farmers National Association Chair Ventsislav Mitkov and National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives in Bulgaria Chair Nikolay Momchilov.

The three branch organizations presented their demands, formulated in 12 points, and outlined the problems facing farmers, urging for quick solutions.

Minister Vatev stressed that he and his team are always open for dialogue with the branch organizations and for an operational solution of the problems raised, as the current leadership of the Agriculture Ministry works in communication with the sector.

"We have not come to ask for resignation, but to solve problems and unite the industry," said Dzhikov.

The participants in the meeting agreed on the need to create new legislation for branch organizations in the agricultural sector and to update the agri-environmental crop zoning, as Minister Vatev presented his vision for legislation on cooperatives.

Participants discussed the topics of the State Aid Temporary Framework following Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Strategic Plan, the allocation of the State Aid budget, support for disadvantaged areas and the conditions and procedures for the use of plant protection products.

Farmers highlighted the problems they encounter with the implementation of the GAEC 6 standard and the area monitoring system. The representatives of the organizations stated that they would inform their members of the consensus reached on the 12 points they had tabled and the intention to sign an agreement on them.

Grain growers started indefinite protests on February 6, raising demands about funding and the European Green Deal. Other farmers have joined the demonstrations since then. On Monday, farmers used heavy-duty machinery and bales of hay to block the highway between Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo at the village of Polikraishte (North Central Bulgaria) for several hours. Some of them spilled tanks of milk at the site.