ZAGREB, February 26, 2018 - The opposition MOST party presented in Osijek a set of proposals to improve life for Croatian citizens and stop emigration, this time focusing on agriculture and the problems faced by local farmers. The set of proposals is called "Movement to Stay" and the party has been presenting it around the country.
MP Tomislav Žagar said the biggest problems in agriculture were a lack of land consolidation, a big increase in imports, a fall in production and the difficulty to market products.
"It's necessary to better organise land management and control. Land tenders must be transparent and accessible to all. It's unacceptable that someone should lease 400 hectares and not work the land but sublet it. Farmers must unite to market products more easily. It's also necessary to provide a loan programme for young farmers so that young people don't leave their homes. Also, it's necessary to invest in new technologies with the help of European Union funds," Žagar said.
Until those things change, we will have depopulation, uneven regional development, unemployment and young people emigrating from rural areas, Žagar said.
MOST president Božo Petrov said the party was presenting legislative initiatives to stop the population drain and make those who left come back. "We need a more efficient public administration and a more transparent justice system and, above all, a better framework for businesses because people will stay in Croatia if you offer them a better job. Also necessary are strong population measures which will help families. Those are things all of Croatia should deal with," said Petrov.
