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"We will continue, but with fear"/ Korça farmers against the tax coupon for milk

2025-07-15 14:38:00, Aktualitet CNA

"We will continue, but with fear"/ Korça farmers against the

Prime Minister Edi Rama's warning that every dairy product will have to be sold with a tax coupon has caused strong reactions in the Korça area.

Farmers call this an unfair decision, which jeopardizes their only means of survival, trading milk from home to the city.

For decades, every morning, dozens of farmers have come down from the villages to sell milk in the city. They say they can't sell to dairies because the price is too low and doesn't keep them alive.

"Rama has warm pockets and doesn't even think about us villagers. What help has he given me that I don't bring milk to Korça. I keep the house with that milk, with those 7-8 cans. He says he will catch you and put you inside. We will continue but with fear. I have been selling milk for 30 years. He will probably give it to dairies cheaper, which is 60 lek per kg. We have never received subsidies for livestock. I had a lot of livestock but seeing the crisis I sold them, I keep one cow just for the children. Even for that one he won't let me."

Farmers feel unrepresented and neglected by the state. They say that instead of being helped, they are being punished.

"I've been selling milk for 30 years, now the police come out and say take it away. We will continue to sell it. Just as they took them in Theth with stones and fire, destroying their houses, we will do the same to Rama. I have 3 cows and raise 4 children. The state has given us nothing. They even brought us around for oil and livestock subsidies. I will keep the milk at home and let the citizens queue up like in the time of Enver Hoxha. The citizen is harmed because they have to come to Ravonik at 4 in the morning to get the milk."

Farmers are asking the government to review this measure and find a solution that does not harm small farmers, who have been trying to survive for years without help and subsidies. They say they have no recourse because, unlike politics, cows do not wait./ CNA