In the Czech Republic, hundreds of farmers demonstrated this Monday in front of the Ministry of Agriculture in Prague. They were protesting against rising costs, the importation of Ukrainian products but also against the European Union’s Green Deal.
In the Czech Republic, hundreds of farmers arrived by tractors early Monday morning to demonstrate in front of the Agriculture Ministry in Prague against rising costs, heavy regulations, cheap products from Ukraine and the “Green Deal” of the European Union.
The Czech Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborný, denounces the exploitation of the conflict.
“This is a long speech from the organizers, many of whom unfortunately have nothing to do with agriculture. It must be seen that the political ambitions of certain circles are largely at the origin of this protest, and I regret it, because I would much prefer to dialogue with the representatives of the farmers, and it is always better to dialogue around a table that somewhere in the street or in the square.”
Leading local agricultural organizations have distanced themselves from today’s protesters, who are calling on the Czech government to withdraw from the European “Green Deal”.
The protest in Prague is organized by the Association of Independent Trade Unions of the Czech Republic. The activists plan to stay in Prague for at least two days. Milo Malý, organizer of the event:
“We are going to Prague today to express our dissatisfaction with the definition of the European context of agriculture as such. Our protests aim at the same thing as the protests in other European countries. That is to say, we do not like the Green Deal, we do not like its implementation in primary agricultural production, which is, in fact, extremely restrictive and even devastating for us.”
Polish farmers lead blockades
On Sunday, Polish farmers blocked access to the road at the border crossing with Ukraine in Dorohusk. Farmers are supported by miners and truck drivers who refuse to let trucks pass. They are protesting the “Green Deal” and the influx of duty-free Ukrainian agricultural products.
In Poland, the farmers’ revolt against products imported from Ukraine is not weakening. Supported by truck drivers and miners, Polish farmers blocked a border road to Ukraine on Sunday.
The European Union removed customs duties at the border and wheat, honey, eggs or even raspberries began to cross the border freely.
According to local authorities, around 3,000 stranded trucks were queuing to enter Ukraine. Ukraine said the blockade of the Polish border posed a “security threat” during wartime. Faced with this situation, kyiv and Warsaw began negotiations.
