Lithuanian farmers in protest walk

Small farmers from around the town Marijampole in the country's southwest set on a protest walk to Vilnius today to appeal to the President, the Prime Minister and other people on the top.

Though two and three hectare plots make an impressive part of Lithuania's private farms, government support is limited to big landholders.

The protesters demand a threshold established for milk purchase prices, indemnities paid to bankrupts, food prices and utilities fees cut, and minimum wages and pensions increased.

The farmers think a 150 kilometre route to the national capital will take them a week.

This is not a first public campaign against token purchase prices. Farmers blocked a highway close to the Polish frontier on several previous occasions.