Agricultural producers and farm animal breeders protest in the centre of Sofia

26 agricultural organisations blocked the square in front of the Council of Ministers in Sofia on February 13. The main demand of the organisers is for the resignation of Minister of Agriculture, Kiril Vatev. They demanded a dialogue with the government. They announced that the agreement signed yesterday was not complete. They insist on opening the Strategic Plan and raising the subsidy ceiling.

Images by Dessislava Kulelieva

The division in the sector continues, despite the agreement signed by the Agrarian Chamber and grain growers with the government.

The 26 organisations that split off and demanded the resignation of the minister of agriculture. The protests are continuing today. They also accuse their colleagues from the industry of having conducted the negotiations without transparency and without their demands being met.

Yesterday, it became clear that a third flank is forming in the sector - around the United Farmers Association, who met with the agriculture minister. They said that a second agreement with the government is being prepared, stressed that they do not want the minister's resignation and were adamant that if their demands are not met they are ready for a blockade of the border with Greece at the end of the week.