Fruit And Veg Market Protests ‘Inevitable’

The Croatian Farmer’s Market Association says that it is running out of patience with the Croatian government, and that chaos could reign at market places across Croatia in the upcoming days as fruit and vegetable traders protest about new fiscalization laws which are set to effect them come 1 July.

From 1 July fruit and vegetable traders on stalls at market places across the country will have to install computerised cash registers, which are synced to the nation’s tax office, and begin issuing receipts. The new law angered the Croatian Farmer’s Market Association, forcing them to request from the Ministry of Finance an exemption to the law last November. More than 6 months has passed and they have yet to receive a reply, let alone an answer to their request, and now they say taking action will be the next step.

“We are one of the few countries in Europe with an open farmer’s market tradition, and we need to leave it in its natural state and let it be something that will be special and which our country will be identified for in Europe. There would not be one group of tourists who when visiting Zagreb do not visit the Dolac markets, that is something we need to keep and protect,” said the Association.

The Association says that it will not organise protests and strikes but will support traders who have threatened to take action.