Bulgarian farmers from the southern District of Kurdzhali have headed south in order to cross the border into Greece with four herds of sheep - a total of 8 000 animals.

The cattle breeders are going to cross into Bulgaria's southern neighbor and fellow EU member Greece in protest against what they describe as the total incompetence of the government's policy in the agriculture and cattle-breeding sector.

In Greece they hope to receive the proper subsidies they believe they deserve, and better treatment on part of the authorities.

If they are not met with understanding by the Greek authorities, the farmers vow to slaughter all their animals, and to immigrate elsewhere in the EU tearing their Bulgarian passports when they leave the country.

According to the leader of the protesting farmers from the Kurdzhali region Boyko Sinapov, the sheep herds were moving really slowly because of the hot weather, and were expected to reach the Makaza Pass at the Bulgarian-Greek border on Wednesday.

After protesting milk producers blocked a number of major roads all over the country during the past week, and the government allocated additional BGN 60 M for agricultural subsidies, the farmers decided not to hold any protests over the weekend.

However, they are ready to resume blocking roads on Monday, and to hold a national protest rally before the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday flocking to the capital Sofia from all over the country.

The Ministry assured the farmers on Friday that all delayed subsidies would be paid on Tuesday. The farmers believe, however, that their demands had not been met, and the negotiations between their representatives and the authorities are continuing.

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