Several farmers’ associations held a meeting and called for the immediate dismissal of the unlawfully and illegally filed claims of liability against the affected farmers. According to reports by N1, they also announced blockades and protests for Friday this week.
Farmers demand the dismissal of the entire Ministry of Agriculture, headed by Minister Aleksandar Martinović, of the Parliamentary Committee for Agriculture, headed by Marijan Rističević, and the dismissal of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević as well.
Putting the farm in a state of liability is a pressuring technique, according to the Ne damo Jadar (We won’t give Jadar up) group
“The claim for acknowledgement of liability of our own Zlatko Kokanović’s agricultural holding is a pressure technique, attempting to push him and his family to give up the fight against mining”, says the Instagram page of the Ne Damo Jadar association of which Kokanović is the vice president.
Ne damo Jadar informed the public about the claim against Kokanović on Saturday, December 7. Previously, the same claim had been filed against the farm of Predrag Veljković, a single father. On Monday December 9, it was learnt that another claim had been filed this time against the farm of Milan Pajić, from Badovinci. Incidentally, Pajić spoke at the last protest of the Ne damo Jadar association which took place in Loznica.
As Nebojša Petković from the Nedamo Jadar association points out, “Zlatko Kokanović, Predrag Veljković, Đoka Ćurčić and Milan Pajić are all members of the group who fought for and obtained the subsidies that farmers received over the last year”.
The group Naše mleko (Our Milk) and the Association for the Survival and Rescue of Livestock Farmers of Western Serbia are the organisers of this Friday’s blockades
The call for blockades was made during a meeting, held in Badovinci, which was attended by farmers’ associations from across Serbia, including: Naše mleko (Our Milk), the Association for the Survival and Rescue of Livestock Farmers in Western Serbia, Asocijacija 2022, Northern Banat – Kikinda, the Initiative for the Survival of Serbian Farmers, the Association of Milk Producers from Šumadija and Pomoravlje, Banatska Crnica, and the NADIBAR Association.
As reported by N1, Naše Mleko and the Association for the Survival and Rescue of Livestock Farmers of Western Serbia will begin protests and blockades on Friday, while the rest will decide on their next steps in due course. During the meeting held in Badovinci, the same group of farmers’ associations expressed their full solidarity with students and citizens across the country. “Farmers express their full support for the students and their demands, as well as for all disgruntled citizens who demand the Government be held accountable,” reads their statement as reported by Danas.
Translated from Serbian by M.J.
