Protesting Farmers Demand Immediate Paying of Direct Payments

        Bratislava, February 19 (TASR) - Immediate paying out of direct payments, especially via advances, and relief of social levies for all farmers, these are some of the main demands of farmers who protested in several places in Slovakia on Monday, Land Owners and Agricultural Entrepreneurs Association chairman Jan Jelen stated at a press conference in front of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry on Monday.
        "The goal of the protest is to point out the critical situation of farmers in Slovakia," said Jelen, adding that farmers are threatened with existential problems. "Farmers have got into existential problems. The purchase prices of commodities were low and they didn't receive the direct payments to which they are entitled," noted the association head.
        Farmers are also asking for the administrative burden to be reduced and discrimination to be eliminated when renting land from the Slovak Land Fund. They also demand the setting up of a register of land use relationships and the preparation of financial instruments to support farmers through more favourable loans. With protests, they also want to fight for green diesel for all farmers as well as a ban on the duty-free import of agricultural commodities from countries outside the European Union.
        Farmers' protests took place on Monday in several places in Slovakia in front of the headquarters of the Agricultural Payment Agency. According to the farmers, more than 300 participants took part in it. Protests are also taking place in several European cities.