The milk farmers, who have been protesting for 11 days under the leadership of the national federation of milk farmers' associations (HSUPM), arrived near St. Mark's square around 5.30pm but were barred from entering the square by police. They requested that Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic receive them for talks. After that did not happen, they dispersed peacefully after 8.30pm.

HSUPM president Igor Raseta said he did not rule out the possibility that the farmers would again try to reach the government headquarters.

According to media estimates, some 300 milk farmers took part in the protest, while police put their number at around 100. The protest was peaceful and there was no disturbance of public order.

The head of the HSUPM's negotiating team, Darko Pavicevic, said the protesters represented 80 per cent of all dairy farmers and that their demand was HRK 3.30 per kilogram of milk plus an incentive of HRK 0.50 per kilogram.

He said they would initiate talks with the Dukat dairy company and that if it did not agree to their price, the disgruntled farmers would stop supplying it with milk as of Monday.

Milk farmers' protests organised by the HSUPM started last Tuesday, February 14, and they were prompted by Dukat's announcement that it would pay HRK 2.30 per kilogram of milk to its contractors as of February.

The protesting farmers demand compliance with a 2009 memorandum on the purchase price of milk which set the price at HRK 2.71 per kilogram, plus a state incentive of HRK 0.42 per kilogram.

The HSUPM did not agree to a deal which some dairy farmers' associations reached with the dairy companies late last night. Under the agreement, the purchase price of milk will be HRK 2.43 per litre and will be in force for three months.

HSUPM leaders reiterated today that they would keep on protesting until their demands were met and that last night's agreement was questionable.