After the court turned down a judicial protest filed by The Pitkala Association, the government announced in a statment that it will not revoke its decision published through a legal notice last January.

The LN obliges traders to provide a bank guarantee, equivalent to 10% of the previous year's turnover, in order to have their license renewed. In March, The Pitkala Association filed a judicial protest calling on the government to revise its position, arguing that several vendors do not have the financial means to pay the guarantee and that some of them may have to close down their business as a result of this measure.

In a statement, the government said that the decision requiring the bank guarantee is aimed to protect the farmers’ interests, ensuring that these are paid within a stipulated period.  

It called on pitkala to cooperate with the reform, which aims to ensure transparency, accountability and high standards expected from famers and local consumers.