2024-02-21 10:21:43
Early on Tuesday morning, the huge wheels of the first tractors and combines, on which disgruntled farmers drove into Prague, creaked along the pavement of the Czech capital. Similar protests were previously observed in other European cities.
A little later, a whole line of agricultural machinery lined up on the highway passing next to the building of the Czech Ministry of Agriculture. Thus, “field workers” protested against the abundance of government bureaucratic procedures, rising taxes and the European Union’s environmental program Green Deal.
As Day.Az reports, farmers entered with banners saying “Do you know what a cow looks like?”, “Resign!”, “Do something for the people!” According to rough estimates, already in the morning about a thousand tractors and combines have gathered in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture, and they are still arriving.
The main source of dissatisfaction among farmers is the Green Deal, which puts workers at a significant disadvantage. The second is the agreement currently being developed on duty-free trade between the European Union and the states of South America. When the agreement is signed, the flow of goods into Europe from there will increase and competition will intensify.
Large industry organizations of farmers – the Agrarian Chamber, the Agricultural Union and the Association of Private Farmers – however, did not support today’s demonstration.
The Minister of Agriculture said the day before that he “well understands the problems of farmers who directly cultivate fields, raise poultry and livestock, and shares many of their demands.” At the same time, he has questions about the instigators of the protest, that is, the personalities of the organizers.
“Let’s take a closer look at the organizers! These are not farmers at all. These are representatives of those who also organized demonstrations against Covid vaccinations,” said Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny in an interview with Czech TV, who in the morning had already managed to talk with both the protesters and the press .
“I received a letter addressed by farmers to the Prime Minister and to me as the Minister of Agriculture. It was given to me by Jan Veleba, the ex-head of the Agrarian Chamber. I will respond to this letter, like any other correspondence. I hope we will find in the letter what “a specific address, although it is simply signed anonymously: Farmers,” the minister said.
Farmers understand that the Green Deal cannot be canceled, but they need relief. For example, many Czechs find it difficult to imagine that an 80-year-old grandmother from the outskirts of the city will walk to the center to the store only because she cannot use her car with an internal combustion engine.
“It should also be noted that initially the Green Deal was developed overly ambitiously, and this plan is capable of making not only the Czech Republic, but the whole of Europe uncompetitive,” Minister Marek Vyborny partially agreed with the demands of the protesters.
In the meantime, the protests are gaining momentum.
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