Farmers protest hits Warsaw while new Minister promises to back biofuels bil l

Around five thousands of farmers took part in a demonstration in the capital yesterday, led by Self Defense leader Andrzej Lepper, not as such against th e new Agriculture Minister, but to protest against the government's agricult ure policy. The main streets were blocked causing large traffic jams. Speaki ng on Polish Radio on Tuesday, newly appointed Agriculture Minister Adam Tan ski asked farmers to remain calm and promised to meet their representatives today, although he admitted dialogue will not be easy. Notably Tanski stated the biofuel bill, one of the issues over which the Polish Peasants Party (PS L) and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) fell out, is necessary for agriculture and is the most important bill at the moment. The PSL reiterated on Monday t hat, among its other demands, passage of the biofuel act this year remained key for securing PSL support in the EU referendum. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 4; R euters) A.K.