More than one thousand milk producers from across the country gathered at a rally in front of the Agriculture Ministry in Sofia on Wednesday.

The key demand of the protestors is the introduction of a BGN 0,20 per litre subsidy for the milk placed on the market and a one-off financial aid of BGN 1000 per cow to cover their rising costs.

The protest came hours after the heads of state fund Agriculture voted for BGN 24 M of subsidy for 2007, an amount which farmers slammed as insulting.

The subsidy demands of the protestors add up to BGN 400 M.

"We insist that the aid is allotted immediately. If we wait for the government to vote the money and give it to us in a month, many a farms will be closed down," Adrian Tsakonski from the National Association of Milk Producers commented for Darik radio.

According to the farmers unless the money is allotted immediately, billions of levs will be needed to revive the sector in a year.

Milk producers put the losses they suffer at BGN 1000 per day.

The protestors threatened to press for the resignation of the agriculture minister and block roads across the country unless their demands are met.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!