Current events

Hundreds of farmers in various regions of Latvia will launch protests on February 5

Latvian farmers are launching protests in the regions to draw attention to and find solutions to many pressing issues in the agricultural sector that are stuck in political and bureaucratic corridors. Industry representatives acknowledge that bureaucratic demands and government indifference threaten to crush the agricultural sector.

 

Juris Lazdins, Chairman of the Board of the Farmers' Council informs that representatives of the Latvian agricultural sector have patiently maintained a diplomatic waiting pause since submitting their demands to the Ministry of Agriculture and Minister Armands Krauzes during an extraordinary meeting of farmers last year, on November 2, in Slampe.

 

Hazelnut: "3 months have passed since the farmers' emergency meeting and only 1 of the submitted demands for the sector's reorganization has been met.

The patience of Latvian farmers is at its limit, and it is slowly flowing over the edges. It is with regret that I must admit, that the current government is particularly distinguished by its arrogance and indifference. No other government leader has threatened to “walk out of the meeting” during negotiations with representatives of non-governmental organizations. It is unacceptable that calls from non-governmental organizations to meet to discuss the problems of the sector are being blatantly ignored. We have called for them to listen, but in return we have received inaction and sometimes even threats to deal with us, although the agricultural sector directly affects every resident of Latvia – it is about food availability, quality, supply, prices. Ultimately – it is a matter of the physical and economic security of every resident and the country as a whole.”

 

Lazdiņš adds that today the demands made by the farmers have been submitted to Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauzes.

J. Lazdins continues: "We have informed the minister that we cannot wait any longer, and that farmers' protests will begin in all regions of Latvia on February 5. We will expect real solutions from government representatives within 5 days of submitting our demands. Otherwise, we will go to Riga, where we will be until real progress is made and concrete decisions are made. We will no longer tolerate empty promises and ignoring our demands!”

 

Regional protests by farmers are planned in Saldus, Talsi, Liepāja, Jelgava, Dobele, Bauska, Valmiera, Gulbene, Limbaži, Daugavpils, Rēzekne and Koknese.

 

Farmers' demands, with specific deadlines, focus on the following issues of critical importance to the industry:

  • Russian and Belarusian food products immediate import ban without a transition period.
  • 5% Restoration of the reduced VAT rate for fruits, berries and vegetables characteristic of Latvia; promotion of the competitiveness of the industry.
  • Reducing bureaucracy in the agricultural sector.
  • Broader access to taxation and working capital programs.
  • Waiver of national-level land encumbrances or other land use restrictions.

 

A detailed description of the requirements is attached in the document Farmers' demands.

 

Media contact information:

Dace Vīksna office@zsa.lv

 

Contact information for people in the regions who can be contacted:

Tukums: Lauris Vavilovs 28378978

Bauska: Biruta Grantina 26563158

Limbazi: Ieva Alpa 28625741

Jekabpils: Richard Kadyrov 26187616

Swan: Janis Locmels 26387952

Valmiera: Janis Locmels 26387952

Talsi: Maris Berzins 29498235

Jelgava: Kaspars Antīpins 26473254

Sweet: Henry Freibergs 27451552; Eduards Schmidts: 29267419

Liepaja: Aigars Putra 28675573; Martins Flaksis 28614952, Edgars Karklins 26153384

Daugavpils: Reinis Lazdans 28677197

Rezekne: Martins Trons – 29805456;

Koknese: Lauris Saliņš – 26347576

Dobele: Juris Lazdins – 26521883