Bulgaria preparing for mass protests of farmers over Ukrainian grain

The Government hopes for dialogue, but is ready for mass protests of agricultural producers – as stated by Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov at an extraordinary briefing in Sofia. Earlier, farmers in an ultimatum demanded to cancel the decision of the Parliament to allow imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, TASS reports.

The Government is ready for dialogue with agricultural producers, and Mr. Denkov stressed that the main problem that the protesters are talking about has been solved: an agreement has been reached with Ukraine to impose restrictions on exports of certain products in order to avoid problems for agricultural producers in each particular country.

The PM noted that the protesters had rejected the invitation to dialogue. Moreover, they issued an ultimatum, threatening a blockade and creating problems for other residents of the country. "We remain open and are ready to resume the discussion at any moment if they are ready to engage in a constructive dialogue with us," Mr. Denkov stressed. Previously, his position was tougher. In an interview with the Bulgarian National Television, the PM said that he perceives the ultimatum of grain producers about the blockade of the country's roads as a terrorist threat, stressing that ‘he does not negotiate with terrorists’.

On September 14th, the Bulgarian Parliament decided to allow grain imports from Ukraine. The Government supported the initiative of the majority of deputies, but agricultural producers regarded that as a betrayal of national interests. On September 18th, they intend to block border crossings and key roads in Bulgaria, and further to hold a large-scale action in Sofia on September 19th, seeking a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain.