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Romanian farmers protest over subsidies for fuel, EU payments for agriculture
Romania
Thursday 20 March 2008
About 1,000 Romanian farmers protested Wednesday, demanding more government subsidies for fuel and complaining they had not received EU payments for agriculture.
The protesters marched to the government's headquarters demanding that the price of fuel for farming be cut in half and that measures are taken to improve irrigation systems.
"We want to be European in rights, not only in obligations," banners read. Farmers came from 15 counties to take part in the protest.
Farmers said that fuel prices are triggering higher costs for chemical fertilizers. Irrigation systems are crumbling, with no money invested in modernizing them, they say.
In recent years, droughts and flooding have caused huge losses to Romanian farmers.
Protesters also complained that they have not yet received EU funds. Romanian farmers are set to get €443 million (US$699 million) from the EU's farm budget for 2008 in direct payments.
Romania, a country of about 22 million, joined the European Union in 2007. Almost half of its population lives in villages.
The protesters marched to the government's headquarters demanding that the price of fuel for farming be cut in half and that measures are taken to improve irrigation systems.
"We want to be European in rights, not only in obligations," banners read. Farmers came from 15 counties to take part in the protest.
Farmers said that fuel prices are triggering higher costs for chemical fertilizers. Irrigation systems are crumbling, with no money invested in modernizing them, they say.
In recent years, droughts and flooding have caused huge losses to Romanian farmers.
Protesters also complained that they have not yet received EU funds. Romanian farmers are set to get €443 million (US$699 million) from the EU's farm budget for 2008 in direct payments.
Romania, a country of about 22 million, joined the European Union in 2007. Almost half of its population lives in villages.
