A newly established Union of Croatian Peasants has announced it would protested yesterday as their demands for subsidies have not been met.

The president of the union Tomislav Pokrovac said that the farmers had agreed to accept their autumn subsidies in the form of cash and feedstock vouchers. They claim they had been promised that 60 per cent would be paid in cash, while 40 per cent would be given in vouchers. However the Ministry of Agriculture is now offering them the ratio in reverse.

Spokesperson for the Ministry Mladen Pavic said that those who do not want the vouchers have until the end of May next year to return them and receive monetary compensation.

The coordination of the peasant associations of five Slavonian counties announced today’s protest and asked for the support of the employees of Split ironworks company Zeljezaraand and workers at the Kamensko textile factory.

The farmers claim they are owed 900 million kunas (122.7 million Euros) – 300 million (41 million Euros) for the flood damages and the rest for unpaid subsidies, which they should have received by the 20th September.