Spanish farmers protesting against the agricultural policy of the government and the EU blocked over 30 expressways and highways across the country on Wednesday, including the A-7 leading to France. Vehicles transporting vegetables and fruit from Morocco were looted on roads in the province of Girona.
The largest number of agricultural blockades were organized yesterday in Andalusia and Catalonia, where tractors took to the roads and demonstrators built barricades from sheaves of hay and tires. Barricades were also built on the highway to France.
Imported food thrown away
The banners attached to the tractors blocking the roads bear the following slogans: “Less bureaucracy!”, “We want fair prices”, “Defend domestic agriculture!”, “Our end is your hunger.”
On some roads, including on the A-7 highway leading to France, long queues of trucks formed. Some vehicles carrying vegetables and fruit from Morocco were targeted by protesters who threw the contents of the transport onto the road.
According to the police, although most agricultural protests are usually peaceful, the officers have already detained 60 demonstrators in total.
Unfulfilled promises
Spanish farmers have intensified their protests since Tuesday, saying the Sanchez government is “deceiving them with empty promises.” They thus referred to the proposals of the center-left cabinet, which on February 14 presented a number of measures for agriculture, including: changes in regulations resulting in reduced bureaucracy when applying for EU subsidies, subsidies for agricultural fuel, support for field irrigation, as well as tightening phytosanitary requirements for non-EU products.
The demonstrators claim that they have no guarantees that the proposals presented to them by the government will come into force. In their opinion, most of the promised solutions depend on the good will of the European Union authorities, whom they do not trust.
Lack of profitability and the Green Deal
According to the demonstrators, the EC does too little to increase the competitiveness of EU agricultural producers. They claim that the EU authorities are harming European agriculture by implementing the so-called Green Deal, which is intended to enable the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 through a number of provisions. These changes include, among others: on reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers.
According to reports on social media, the anger of Spanish farmers has also turned against trade unions. They accuse trade unionists of reaching agreements with the government against the interests of farmers and silencing social dissatisfaction. (PAP/Farmer)
