Source: Zerno.ru (Russia)
The Moldovan government will declare a state of emergency in agriculture as demanded by protesting farmers, Agriculture Minister Vladimir Bolia said, TASS reported.
“The Ministry of Agriculture is working on a draft law to declare a state of emergency, which the government will adopt this week and the parliament will approve afterwards. We are in the process of harmonizing the document and discussing it with other government agencies. I will probably present the details of this law on Wednesday,” Bolya said.
According to him, the adoption of this document will allow the cabinet to make urgent decisions that will have the force of law due to the difficult situation in the country’s most important industry. It is assumed that Parliament will be able to confirm or revoke these decisions at a later date.
Last week, the Farmers’ Power association said it was preparing for renewed protests against the government. Its leaders are calling for a state of emergency for agriculture. Protests by agricultural producers began in Moldova in the summer of 2022. They continued in 2023, when farmers drove hundreds of tractors to the government building, and in 2024 they repeatedly blocked border crossings and roads in the country. The protesters are demanding more government support for the sector. They point out that their financial situation has been affected by the drought as well as by problems related to the transit of Ukrainian grain through the territory of the republic.
Previously, the Moldovan government had tried to impose restrictions on Ukrainian grain, but refused to do so after Kiev threatened to ban exports from Moldova in retaliation. In this situation, the country’s authorities say they are developing programs to support farmers, but the protesters accuse the leadership of inaction.