BOSNIAN FARMERS TO HOLD PROTEST IN SARAJEVO ON DECEMBER 24

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (December 21,2007) - The Bosnian Association of Agricultural Workers announced that they will organize in cooperation with the FBIH Entity Association of Agricultural workers protests in front of the the FBIH Entity Government’s building, on December 24 at 10 a.m.

The protest is aimed to pressure the FBIH Entity Government to fulfil obligations proscribed by the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy adopted. The Strategy states that six per cent of the FBIH Entity Budget for 2008 is to be ensured for the agricultural sector development. That means the amount of about 100 million Bosnian Marks. The associations’ representatives also stated that the FBIH Entity Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture are to blame for the damage caused by drought and growth of prices of production materials.

The associations of agricultural workers also want to force the FBIH Entity Government to pass Law on Agriculture which will enable the government to influence the prices and icrease the price of milk purchase per 20 to 90 per cent, adding that it is not diary products’ prices that have grown but agricultural.

The Bosnian Association of Agricultural Workers announced that they will block all the state borders, authority institutions at various levels and entities. They also announced that they will block traffic in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo December 28 if their demands are not fulfilled