The Farmer Protests In Brussels Are Escalating

The protests by farmers in Brussels are deepening despite concessions made by the European Commission. Yesterday's protest, the second in the past month, was marked by heightened tension, with protesters expressing significant dissatisfaction and actively seeking confrontation with law enforcement, reported by BNT.

“Yesterday, the police established a security perimeter to prevent tractors from reaching the council where the agricultural ministers were meeting. The atmosphere was tense as protesters attempted to breach all barriers with their tractors. They hurled objects at law enforcement, who responded with water cannons. Demands remain unchanged - fair purchase prices. Farmers argue that they produce our food but cannot sustain themselves through their work”, reports a BNT correspondent.

Politicians consider the voice of the public, and the European Commission has made some compromises regarding pesticide use and the requirement for farmers to maintain fallow land. However, these measures are not sufficient as farmers are demanding a reconsideration of the EU’s common agricultural policy, which is not feasible just a few months before the elections.

Respective ministers acknowledge the existence of a problem - according to the German Minister of Agriculture, the EU’s agricultural policy has become a “bureaucratic monster”. There is a willingness for change from both sides, but it’s unlikely to happen faster, especially in the months leading up to the European elections. Brussels promises to hold the so-called “strategic debate”, but its results are unlikely to be visible before summer.

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