Several representatives of the Croatian Federation of Milk Farmers' Associations, whose members have been protesting for the sixth consecutive day over milk purchase prices, on Monday distributed free milk outside the parliament headquarters in Zagreb.
Since police and parliament security did not allow them to put a desk with a milk barrel in front of the entrance to the parliament, saying it had not been checked for explosives, the milk farmers distributed milk to reporters, complaining that their businesses would not survive until Croatia's accession to the European Union.
The Federation's president, Igor Resetar, said that if changes were not made in the dairy industry, Croatian milk farmers would be financially ruined and their businesses would not survive to see Croatia enter the EU.
"We have the support of all farming associations and we want a meeting with the (agriculture) minister to discuss ways to improve the situation in the dairy industry," said Resetar.
Milk farmers have been protesting outside the Dukat dairy company in Zagreb and the Sirela dairy in Bjelovar since Tuesday, and they also held protests outside Dukat's logistics centre in Djakovo and outside the KIM dairy factory in Karlovac.
The farmers want Dukat to withdraw its offer for the purchase price of raw milk for February of HRK 2.30, which is about HRK 0.40 less than the previous price, and they demand the average purchase price of milk to be similar to the average price in the EU.
