Thousands of Greek and Spanish farmers took to the streets on Tuesday within the newest demonstrations to hit the EU agriculture sector in current weeks, voicing their discontent over rising prices and paperwork hurdles, whereas protests stretched on to Wednesday too.
More than 120 tractors paralyzed the middle of Athens as farmers honked horns and chanted: “Without us, you have nothing to eat!” Other members of society additionally joined the demonstration.
The farmers had already traveled from all components of Greece, together with by ferry from the island of Crete, for the end result of quite a few blockades in current weeks.
Greek farmers are demanding extra subsidies and decrease taxes after complaining in regards to the sharp rise in gas and fertilizer costs, in addition to an excessive amount of paperwork.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis mentioned there was no cash spare.
“We have nothing more to give,” he instructed broadcaster Star. He identified that farmers had already been given concessions on electrical energy and diesel costs.
According to opinion polls, round 70% of Greeks have sympathy with the farmers’ protest, which continued on Wednesday as effectively. The farmers honked their tractor horns in entrance of parliament after spending the evening in central Athens as their protest towards rising gas and manufacturing prices stretched right into a second day.
Many spent the evening on the sq. earlier than starting to maneuver out on Wednesday.
“We made the move and now we are waiting for the result,” mentioned farmer Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos, 34, from the southern Greek area of Messinia.
The farmers additionally say they’ve been harm by local weather change, with unpredictable flooding, excessive warmth and wildfires making their work ever extra hazardous.
The authorities has to this point supplied reductions on energy payments and an extension of a tax rebate for agricultural diesel to the tip of 2024. It additionally mentioned it’s keen to debate a extra everlasting tax rebate scheme, however that there is no such thing as a likelihood of additional concessions this yr.
Germany, France, and various different international locations throughout Europe, have additionally been hit by main farmer protests in current weeks.
Farmers in Spain plan an identical occasion to their Greek counterparts with 1,000 tractors outdoors the Agriculture Ministry in Madrid on Wednesday. On Tuesday, farmers started their journey to the capital having began their protests calling for “fair prices” two weeks in the past.
“The demonstration will emphatically express the unease of farmers and livestock breeders in the face of the major crisis facing the sector,” the Union de Uniones mentioned in a press release.
Spain is broadly considered the fruit and vegetable backyard of Europe.
Separately, French farmers additionally resumed protests on Wednesday, days forward of the nationwide agriculture present, the beginning of which has develop into a de facto deadline for the federal government to fulfill their calls for.
Meanwhile, Polish farmers protested towards low-cost Ukrainian grain by unloading it in a separate motion on Tuesday.
Source: www.dailysabah.com