Sofia - Bulgarian dairy farmers have blocked major roads in the east of the country in a further call for higher state subsidies, Bulgarian state radio reported on Thursday.

Milk producers set up a blockade on the main road between the capital Sofia and the port of Varna on the Black Sea, to press for higher subsidies of 0.20 lewa (ten euro cents) per litre of milk, to apply retroactively from April 2008.

Subsidies previously paid to farmers were less than the European Union average.

The government in Sofia said at the beginning of August that it would set aside 30 million euros to subsidize farmers, but any such move would be dependent on EU approval.

The union has strict rules on state subsidies for businesses. Bulgarian farmers started their protest, the largest in the Balkans since accession to the EU in 2007, a month ago. (dp)