Bulgarian PM labels farmers "terrorists" for attempted blockade of Ukrainian grain import
Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov called farmers preparing for protests due to the country's refusal to ban grain import from Ukraine "terrorists."
Sofia Globe reports this.
"In the last two days, they [farmers – ed.] have started behaving like terrorists. They are using false arguments, demanding that something should happen immediately. I am not negotiating with terrorists," Denkov said.
He noted that the planned protest "starts to take on a political character – both with requests for support from parties, and with the fact that some people who lead and organize it are close to certain political figures."
The head of the government noted that he expects the grain producers to sit down at the negotiating table and speak in substance.
Denkov also added that the decision to lift the ban on the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds from Ukraine was correct.
The protest, scheduled for September 18, aims to disrupt traffic at three border crossings with Romania, Serbia, and Greece and at the beginning of the Hemus highway in Varna. It is planned that on September 19, the protest will move to the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia.
For reference:
The Parliament of Bulgaria allowed the import of Ukrainian grain from September 15.
Bulgarian farmers refused to meet with the country's Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov to discuss the decision to cancel the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products.
"Farmers, dissatisfied with the decision of the deputies to cancel the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, sent a letter to Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, in which they stated that they refuse to meet with him," the message reads.
Earlier, the prime minister invited them to a meeting that was supposed to take place on Saturday, a day before the start of the mass protests they announced.
Denkov once again declared his support for the parliament's decision regarding the import of Ukrainian grain. He emphasized that his country has no problems importing three out of four grains from Ukraine, except sunflower and unrefined vegetable oil. Therefore, the state was ready to support producers suffering from the resumption of imports.
According to the Prime Minister, farmers' demands are general, do not relate to their real problems, and are very far from reality.
In May, the European Union allowed five countries bordering Ukraine to ban the sale of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds on the domestic market. At the same time, the transit of such goods is allowed for export to other countries. This ban was supposed to expire on September 15.
As it became known, the European Union will not extend temporary restrictions on Ukrainian grain exports to five neighboring countries. Instead, Ukraine agreed to take precautionary measures to avoid new EU grain export restrictions.
The Ukrainian authorities insist that if the European Commission continues the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain after September 15, Ukraine may consider mirror measures.
In addition, on September 12, it became known that Poland extended the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products after September 15.
