Devendra Kumar
Czech farmers have joined their counterparts from neighboring countries in a protest against European Union agriculture policies. The farmers, who were joined by colleagues from 10 EU countries, drove their tractors and other vehicles to several border crossings to meet with colleagues and voice their concerns. According to the farmers, the EU’s environmental policies, particularly the Green Deal, are too restrictive and harm their ability to compete in the market. They argue that these policies limit their business and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports.
One of the main concerns of the farmers is the low prices for their products. They claim that these prices are being undercut by grain and other agricultural products coming from countries like Ukraine and Latin America. The farmers feel that these imports are negatively affecting the market and making it difficult for them to remain profitable. To demonstrate their frustration, the farmers blocked several border crossings, including the Czech-Slovak border crossing at Hodonin-Holic, where hundreds of tractors were parked.
During the protest, organizers invited Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny, his Slovak counterpart Richard Takac, and representatives from Poland and Hungary to join them. The farmers’ representatives expressed their sentiments, emphasizing that they are not protesting against the EU, but rather against the wrong decisions made by the European Commission. The farmers are hoping that their protest will be heard by EU officials and that they will reconsider their policies to make them more favorable to agricultural producers.
The protest was a significant event, with hundreds of tractors and other vehicles participating. The farmers were joined by representatives from several EU countries, including Poland and Hungary. The protest was peaceful, with the farmers blocking border crossings and displaying their slogan, “We are not against the EU, but against EU decisions that harm farmers.”