The Croatian Chamber of Agriculture (CCA) has expressed solidarity with the ongoing farmer protests across the European Union, announcing that its Executive Board will deliberate on Croatia’s participation in the demonstrations next week. The statement aligns with the concerns shared by Croatian farmers with their European counterparts, highlighting common challenges within the agricultural sector.
The decision on Croatia’s involvement will initially be discussed by the CCA’s sector-specific committees, with the Executive Board set to make a final determination in its upcoming session early next week.
Mladen Jakopović, President of the CCA, underscored the importance of food sovereignty as a critical issue within the EU, emphasizing the intrinsic value of natural resources such as air, water, and land. “It is the farmers who transform these resources into food through their efforts, and it is this sustenance that is essential for daily life. This is a cause that warrants collective advocacy,” Jakopović stated.
He also voiced agreement with the demands of the EU protests, attributing the unrest to the burdensome requirements of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and trade agreements that, according to him, undermine the integrity of the EU market and disadvantage local production.
The CCA highlighted the significant challenges and pressures that have been mounting on the agricultural community in recent years, indicating a broader discontent within the sector that extends beyond national borders.
