CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th December, 2020) Police in Moldova have denied entry to Chisinau to farmers on tractors headed to a protest against the planned increase in value-added tax (VAT) on agricultural products, Moldovan television channel Publika tv reported on Sunday.
Farmers already held one rally against the planned agricultural VAT increase from 8 percent to 12 percent this past Wednesday and warned they would hold another one on Sunday if the government failed to address their demands.
The broadcaster reported that several dozen farmers approached Chisinau on tractors from such regions as Hincesti, Ungheni, Causeni and Stefan Voda, intending to join a different demonstration near the parliament building, but were stopped at city entry points by the police.
According to the Chisinau mayor's office website, farmers have asked city authorities to hold protests along three highways leading to the city while not blocking the traffic, but not to actually enter the city on tractors.
An anti-parliament demonstration is underway in Chisinau meanwhile. It was called for by President-elect Maia Sandu in response to the legislature limiting her authority over a state agency and passing a series of other decisions, including a new tax policy package.
Farmers are convinced that the government has enough resources to not only not increase agricultural VAT, but scale up the financial support of farmers amid this year's scarce crops due to strong drought.
