Every citizen has the right to voice their discontent peacefully when they disagree with something, stated Kyriakos Kailas, the president of the Panagrotic Association of Cyprus.
“We are here, without causing any problems, and all we received was the punitive decision of the minister, which saddened us,” said Mr. Kailas.
He emphasized that they decided to protest outside the Presidential Palace following a declaration from the Minister of Agriculture.
“He told us directly, ‘If you go to the Presidential Palace, forget about the aid.’ We don’t operate under threats; we always operate within the framework of justified demands. We will remain here until the amount is increased to satisfy those left behind, those who bring food to our tables.”
Mr. Kailas continued, stating, “We are not here to distress anyone. We have conveyed our concerns to the President, who showed understanding and expressed a desire to increase exports of Cypriot products, but with such decisions, this becomes difficult. We will be here for days if necessary.”
In the memorandum submitted to the President by potato and wheat producers, the raised issues include income support due to increased production costs and the prompt payment of joint subsidies for agro-environmental measures to beneficiaries by the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organization (KOAP). They also call for the withdrawal of letters by KOAP to facilitate the smooth processing of subsidy payments.
They highlight the ongoing drought as a significant problem and seek immediate compensation for its effects. Additionally, they request a modification of the framework for fairer compensation for farmers.
