site.btaUPDATED Farmers Take Protests to Central Sofia, Threaten Joint Action with Greek Counterparts
Protesting farmers reached central Sofia on Tuesday. They came to rally in the square locked between the President's administration, the government headquarters and the parliament building, calling for the resignation of Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev. Police presence in the centre of the city has been stepped up since early morning following the protestors' warning that they were ready for "non-peaceful actions".
Ventsislav Varbanov who is a former Agriculture Minister (GERB) and now chairs the Association of Agricultural Producers in Bulgaria, said that this situation was caused by the Agriculture "Minister dividing the farmers between 'ours' and 'theirs'" and added that this could have been avoided.
Varbanov said that they don't want to see the Prime Minister go but only the Agriculture Minister.
Two of the largest cattle breeders in Bulgaria, Dimo Spassov and Tsanko Tsanev, spilled milk right in front of the Parliament building. Ralliers were carrying signs reading "You make easy promises but then don't deliver" and "Enough experiments with Bulgarian agriculture".
Four protestors were allowed into the government building to submit their demands.
On February 12, an initiative committee representing 26 agricultural organizations presented their demands at a BTA-hosted news conference. They called these "measures for saving Bulgarian agriculture". They said that they don't accept the deal with the government reached after a series of meetings of government officials and some of the protesting organizations.
Elsewhere in the country
Protesting farmers blocked the Varna - Burgas road. They insisted that those who signed an agreement with the government represent a fraction of the farmers.
Farmers from the region of Pernik and Radomir rallied at the Daskalovo road junction near Pernik without blocking the rest of the traffic. Unlike those protesting in Sofia, they said they don't want the resignation of Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev.
Protesting farmers from Kyustendil region closed the Kyustendil - Dupnitsa road with farming machines and spilled potatoes. They said they have the same demands as the farmers protesting in Sofia.
Possible joint actions with Greek farmers
One of the Kyustendil protest organizers, Radoslav Iliev, said that they will close the Ilinden and Kulata checkpoints on the border with Greece - on both sides of the border, together with Greek farmers - unless the government grants their demands.
Several farmers associations in various sectors warned possible joint actions with their Greek peers late this week.
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