Symbolically, at five to 12, farmers from Canton Sarajevo (CS) planned to hold a peaceful protest in front of the building of the Government of this canton, due to delays in the payment of incentives, which they say endanger their production. They were supported by farmers from Tuzla Canton (TC), but the gathering never took place. A column of about 70 tractors, which set off towards Sarajevo from several directions, was stopped by the police, thereby preventing the protest.
For eight months already, farmers from CS have not received any incentives. In addition to problems in production and an extremely bad year for agriculture, they are now facing the additional problem of bare survival. The current season is endangered, and the next even more uncertain.
“That disrupted the work of many farms, many farmers, agricultural households, family households, for which this is very difficult, people live from this, it is their main activity, entire families are engaged in it, and now imagine a family that has not received a salary for 8 months. I told the minister that for us, incentives are not incentives but pure salaries,” says Amer Alic, owner of a chicken farm.
A few farmers held a meeting with the relevant minister, Zlatko Mijatovic, two days ago, and those who did not attend intended to point out their problems yesterday, through a peaceful gathering in front of the Government building of the canton. However, the police prevented them from doing so.
“We registered these vehicles, we allocate money, we have the right to move on the roads, I don’t see the reason why we were stopped, which means the order came from the Government of CS that tractors must not approach the city of Sarajevo,” says Admir Kahriman, president of the Association of Agricultural Producers of the Federation of BiH (FBiH).
The decision prohibiting the gathering was handed to them halfway to the Government building shortly before 12 o’clock, when the gathering was scheduled, although they had submitted the request several days earlier. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the competent Police Administration made the Decision within the legal deadline prohibiting the peaceful gathering. An explanation also arrived from the relevant ministry.
“The Ministry of Economy of CS in the last four years has almost doubled the funds for farmers in CS. These funds are continuously paid out, and it is an absolute untruth that one has to wait eight months for them. We do not know whether that is the possible motive for organizing the protest, or whether it is a matter of political background. More than 2.000 agricultural producers of CS who work honestly, responsibly, and diligently know that the Ministry of Economy and the Government of CS year by year improve the business conditions for farmers through new programs and greater funds,” claims Zlatko Mijatovic, Minister of Economy of CS (NiP).
Farmers are generally dissatisfied with the attitude of the government and the ministry towards them. In previous years, incentives were not delayed, and this year, for 8 months, they have been left without any explanation. The Canton is currently under temporary austerity measures, which gives farmers an additional worry.
“What is happening today is a disgrace and a shame, an international disgrace and shame from, not the government, I won’t say government but the non-government of CS, the Ministry of Economy headed by that minister, I won’t even say his name, has brought us to the beggar’s stick,” said Mesud Pinjo yesterday, secretary general of the Association of Poultry Farmers of FBiH.
But apart from the delayed payment, they are also demanding an amendment to the rulebook, which, as they say, was drawn up without consultation with an agronomist, resulting in numerous inconsistencies. Although yesterday’s protest was prevented, the farmers said they are not giving up. And when agriculture fails, we will all feel it, both in our pockets and on our plates.
