About 150 disgruntled farmers continued their protest rally at a road intersection in Ferovac, eastern Croatia, on Tuesday insisting on the fulfillment of their demands and expressing their disappointment at failure by Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic to come and talk to them.
Minister Cobankovic called protest leaders on Tuesday morning to say that he would not be coming to Ferovac, citing pressing engagements in Zagreb.
Protest organiser Dragutin Dukic said on Tuesday afternoon that protests would spread to other areas of eastern and northern Croatia, adding that leaders of the protesting farmers would not go to Zagreb for talks with Cobankovic. The minister had scheduled meetings with some farmers' associations and fishermen for later on Tuesday in Zagreb.
The protesting farmers began their rally in Ferovac on Monday, demanding payment of the full amount of grants until the end of the month, payment of the money owed for capital investment, rescheduling of all loans, and cheaper diesel fuel.
Protest leaders said they would stay on the road until their demands were met.
