Farmers meeting all political parties, almost

On Friday afternoon, Slovak farmers summoned a round table with representatives of parliamentary parties except the far-right Kotleba - people's party, independent MPs and non-parliamentary parties. The outcome of the meeting should be a memorandum on reforms in the agriculture sector. The farmers decided to meet all the political parties as they were not assured that the Coalition Council would sign the memorandum. Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matečná stated on Thursday that some of the requirements set by the farmers were unfeasible or unlawful. According to her, farmers and activists who came to protest in Bratislava, claiming that no part of the so-called Kosice Call had been met, did not verify their information before organising the protest. On Thursday, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini said that he wanted to meet protesting farmers in eastern Slovakia in the first week of July. As he stated, many of the farmers' requirements are already being met, and so there is no reason to panic. Famers will also drive their tractors to the protests "For a decent Slovakia" to be held in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica and Košice.