The first day of farmers’ protests against the lifting of the ban on grain imports from Ukraine, as expected, passed with dozens of blockades, where tractors and harvesters blocked roads and in some places the border with Romania. The dialogue channels also remained closed.
Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev sent an invitation to a meeting with the protesters, but they remained silent. A day ago, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov also indicated that the main problem of the branch with Ukrainian grain has been solved and it is time for a dialogue, but again there was no reaction.
A protest of grain producers at the entrance to Sofia is planned for Tuesday, and they are expected to enter the city on Wednesday.
While The European Commission on Monday confirmed the words of the Bulgarian Prime Minister from Sunday, that oversaturation of the market with Ukrainian grain will not be allowed, because our country will agree with Ukraine on specific quotas. A spokesman for the EC directly indicated that measures against Ukrainian agricultural imports are no longer necessary.
The political response
The reluctance of farmers to dialogue with the authorities fueled suspicions as to what exactly was behind the protests. Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov pointed out on Monday that the Ukrainian grain problem is Russian propaganda and added “you know that the caretaker government quite strictly fulfilled the covenants of the Russian Federation”. In its development, Mediapool also showed that some of the branch leaders at the head of the protest are considered to be close to President Rumen Radev.
The protest of grain producers Frexpectedly reflected in politics. Both on Sunday and on Monday, BSP leader Kornelia Ninova asked rhetorically if Borisov was not using the “just” protests of the farmers to overthrow the cabinet before the local vote. On Monday, Borisov replied that he took her words as a joke. DPS MP Delyan Peevski said that if the executive power cannot deal with the protest, the legislative power will intervene.
At the same time, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov clearly indicated that there is a disagreement between the manufacturers and only grain producers are really behind it, but not the majority of animal breeders and fruit and vegetable producers. The chairman of the National Association of Young Farmers in Bulgaria, Petar Petrov, said the same in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Dozens of blockades
Dozens of blockades were initiated by protesting grain producers on Monday demanding the continuation of the ban on imports of Ukrainian grain. A large part of the blockades are along the border with Romania.
At lunch in the area of Dunav bridge grain producers announced that they were closing the border for an hour – an hour and a half. And then they explained how they would proceed until the end of the day.
“After that, we will let cars pass every hour in stages, so that we can provide a corridor for the citizens. We will finish at 5 p.m., so that during rush hour the passage on the road can be freed.”grain producer Milen Kolev told Nova TV.
A two-hour blockade at 12 o’clock was made by the grain producers on the road to Vidin for “Danube Bridge 2”. The blockade actually happened 5 kilometers from the bridge.
On the road Sofia-Varna, near the Tarnovo village of Sheremetya the farmers complained of massive police checks prior to their inclusion in the protest. Similar complaints came from producers from the Plovdiv region.
Grain producers tried to block the main road E-79 and AM “Struma” near Blagoevgrad, but the police did not allow this. After arguments and disputes with the police, in the end the tractors only went around the two roundabouts after the Poligona area near Blagoevgrad between E-79 and AM “Struma”, being escorted by the police and unable to block the traffic.
The organizer of the protest, Yulia Koyunjieva, announced the demands at a rally near E-79, after which the protesters tried to break through the police cordon, but failed, as the policemen stood in front of the tractors.
Thus, a compromise was reached – a procession with the tractors in the two roundabouts and a return to the training ground. The participants will join the national protest tomorrow in the capital.
The protesters are supported by about 30 organizations in the sector, including grain producers.
Sn. BGNES
They claim that their protest is also supported by vegetable growers, animal breeders, etc., but some of these sectors denied this.
Sn. BGNES
The protest was massive Petolačka road junction, where hundreds of farmers and technicians had gathered. They carried placards that read: “Resignation” and “Denkov, you are the terrorist! We will sweep you with 300!!!”.
At noon there were over 150 tractors and over 500 farmers from Sliven, Yambol and Burgas. The road junction here is also blocked for the second hour, Nova TV reported.
The leadership of the Bulgarian Farmers’ Union gathered at the airport in Byala Slatina, where all agricultural machinery was removed from the area.
“We apologize to citizens and warn them to postpone planned travel on September 18 and 19 as major roads will be closed across the country.”said Georgi Stoyanov, chairman of the union.
The protest was also ridden to solve old problems
The protest of grain producers from the Burgas region against the import of Ukrainian grain was supported by vine growers and beekeepers, BGNES reported. However, they are protesting about suppressed problems that have nothing to do with the release of Ukrainian grain imports.
“The vine is the only one without aid in Bulgaria. In 10 years, one million vines have been destroyed in our country”commented grape growers and showed the outdated technique with which they cultivate their vineyards.
The beekeepers said that honey with Chinese raw material is imported from Ukraine. Wheat and sunflower producers say that their goods are lying in the warehouses.
Farmers closed for about half an hour the extra-urban highway in Pernik. There were also blockades in Radomir and Breznik. In front of the “Boris Guderov” sports hall in Pernik, where protesting farmers from the entire region gathered, a poster with the inscription “Resignation” was erected.
The first demand of the farmers is the continuation of the ban on the import of sunflower, wheat, corn and rapeseed from Ukraine, which has been in force for the past 4 months. In addition, introduction of a ban on the import of unrefined oil, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products, meat and meat products, live animals, honey and bee products from Ukraine.
The farmers are demanding that the full amount of compensation for increased production costs due to the war in Ukraine be paid by September 30, as well as the removal of the aid ceiling.
Immediate disbursement of state aid to compensate farmers with 100% failed areas.
Provision of the necessary funds for the re-notification of existing state aid, as well as for new ones.
Protest at the entrance to Sofia on Tuesday
Grain producers are planning a protest at the entrance to Sofia for Tuesday. They said they were meeting on Botevgradsko Shose Blvd.
The tractors will arrive all night from all over the country and at 10 am they will already be on Botevgradsko Shose Blvd. 600 tractors are expected to arrive, the initiative committee of the protesters specified.
Tomorrow there will be a protest of the trade unions in front of the Council of Ministers, therefore we will not enter Sofia, the grain producers announced.
The decision of the Metropolitan Municipality on their transfer to the National Assembly is awaited. This will come after union protests are scheduled for the whole day on Tuesday.
Most likely, the farmers’ protest in front of the National Assembly will be on Wednesday.
