Farmers will decide what to do after the protest: both angry and painful

Farmers from all over Lithuania flocked to the capital in the early hours of the morning. They travelled to Vilnius both by bus and tractor. In Independence Square near the Seimas, farmers were bustling around, making their demands clear. But did the Government hear them? Audrius Vanagas, head of the Lithuanian Grain Growers Association (LGAA), and Martynas Puidokas, vice-chairman of the Lithuanian Farmers' Union (LŪS), did not hide their disappointment. So what's next?

Non-specific answers

„The results are neither this nor that. We can say that a discussion has taken place. It was not as before that we propose and they just listen. Now the Prime Minister had answers, but those answers were tentative, non-specific – let's discuss, let's see and so on“, – Vanagas shared his insights after the meeting with the Government.

„We never heard anything concrete. As far as the GPM is concerned, they indicated that they will still hold their own. Of course, the Government's decision is not final. One hopes that the other coalition partners will think more logically about all this," Puidokas seconded his colleague.

Farmers have heard tentative promises to review the tax changes on the three-year averaging of VAT, income aggregation, and Soda taxes.

„However, no good promises were made on the GPM rates themselves“, – noted the LGAA leader, adding that „until these deliberations and answers are translated into a concrete bill and voted for in the Seimas, these are not results“.

Both angry and sad

„And what kind of mood can there be? There is injustice and nobody is going to restore that injustice. It is both angry and painful that the electorate itself is being treated in this way, that they have quickly forgotten who elected them and that they are behaving unilaterally. Especially towards the people who create the GPM. It is very disappointing that this is the situation we have today," Puidokas said in frustration.

„Well, they are disappointed. They have come a long way from different parts of Lithuania, both with tractors and buses. Their main expectation is to defend their interest by legal, democratic means. But if there are no clear results, who could be happy?", Vanagas continued.

What next?

„We will go back to the community and decide what to do next. We have written a request to Vilnius City Council for a continued protest action on 25-26 June. But we will decide, we will talk in the community, in what form to do it, or maybe to postpone it to the autumn, to a more massive protest for a week or two," said the LGAA leader about the future plans.

„We ask the community, whatever they decide, we will do it. Obviously, it is a big community, there are and will be all kinds of opinions, but we are sticking to the principle of democracy and we will wait for the majority decision. I have no doubt that we will take some action. The consequences of doing nothing are too great and too sad," Puidokas confirmed his thoughts on the continued protest.