Livestock producers’ demo in the capital
LIVESTOCK producers vowed to up the pressure on the government following a large protest against what they claim is a lack of economic support from the state.
There were ugly scenes outside Parliament in Lefkoşa on Monday as some demonstrators tried to force their way into the building.
Scuffles broke out with police, who formed a human chain to prevent anyone disrupting proceedings in Parliament. One protester collapsed during the tussle.
The demo, organised by the Cyprus Turkish Livestock Producers
and Breeders Association (KTHÜYB), had begun at the Hamitköy and Gönyeli roundabouts.
From there, the livestock producers, led by a man riding a donkey, converged on the Agriculture Ministry with their tractors and other farm vehicles.
They then left their vehicles, blocking a main road, and walked to Parliament. The KTHÜYB accused ministers of reneging on promises previously made to them regarding pandemic financial support.
While MPs carried on with their work inside, the demonstrators honked horns and chanted slogans to make their demands heard.
MPs from the three opposition parties – the Republican Turkish Party, the People’s Party, and the Social Democracy Party (TDP) – met with members of the KTHÜYB.
TDP leader Cemal Özyiğit urged the protesters to “get rid of this government as soon as possible and replace it with one that you want, one that will support you”.
Support also came from the Cyprus Turkish Construction Contractors Association head Cafer Gürcafer, who said livestock breeders “are one of the most important cornerstones of the country’s economy and contribute to every point of our lives with their hard work”.
Later in the day Prime Minister Ersan Saner, Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz and Agriculture Minister Nazım Çavuşoğlu met with six representatives of the protest group.
Addressing the livestock producers, Mr Çavuşoğlu said that he had established a committee to examine the issues they have raised and said that he wanted to solve the problem through dialogue.
KTHÜYB head Mustafa Naimoğulları, speaking outside Parliament, said: “We are here to make the voice of all sectors heard against [price] hikes.”
He read out a list of six demands including the payment of around 14 million TL he said is owed to producers from the Cyprus Turkish Dairy Industry Corporation; a freeze on barley prices for the rest of the year; an increase in the amount of sheep, goat and cow’s milk produced; an immediate rise in the 2.35TL per litre “base price” of milk sold on the stock market; a “purchase guarantee” for goat’s milk; and animal feed support and the details of the amount of support to be given to sheep and goat producers “in the package put forward by Minister Çavuşoğlu” to be released.
On Tuesday the animal farmers held a sit-down protest and continued to block roads with tractors and other vehicles through the week, creating “gridlock” in the centre of the capital.
They chanted slogans such as “We will win by resisting” and “We will take our rights by force”. One protester managed to get into Parliament but was removed by police.