Several agricultural associations in Serbia have announced that they will continue protests with multi-day demonstrations on streets and roads across the country, citing the government’s neglect of their demands. The decision was made at a meeting in Dolovo on Saturday, September 27, attended by representatives of several farmer associations, including “Dolovački paori,” “Savez Banata,” “Novoseljanski paori,” “Udruženje poljoprivrednika opštine Srbobran,” “Banatska crnica,” and the “Initiative for the Survival of Serbian Farmers.”
According to the associations, there was consensus that the long-standing issues presented to previous and current governments are justified and valid, and that there is no room for negotiation. They stated that the protests will not be officially registered due to concerns about potential repression and arrests of farmers.
The associations have sent multiple questions to the relevant authorities, including how the government plans to take control of the primary agricultural product market from cartels, when it will start monitoring the quality of goods entering Serbia from abroad, what these goods are used for, and whether they pose any health risks to the population.
Farmers are also asking about drought conditions, the extent of damage, and which parts of Serbia are affected, as well as how accumulated debts for pension and disability insurance will be handled.
Their demands remain unchanged. They call for immediate payment of all outstanding debts from previous years, fuel without excise taxes directly at the pumps, and the urgent removal of phantom agricultural holdings from the system.
Farmers are also demanding refinancing of existing agricultural loans with a one percent interest rate, compensation of 300 euros per hectare for certain crops, and measures to break cartel behavior in the primary products market.
A warning protest took place in front of the Provincial Government building on September 15, during which three farmers were arrested.
