Spreading from France to many countries: Protests by Spanish farmers
Joining the protests ongoing in many European countries, Spanish farmers organized actions across the country, blocking roads with their tractors. The protests began in France and have spread to many countries.
12punto
Spanish farmers in many cities including Seville, Toledo, Granada, Huelva, Zaragoza, Ciudad Real, Valencia, Malaga, Murcia, Tarragona, Lleida, and Madrid took to the highways, slowing down traffic with their tractors and occasionally blocking roads.
FIRST MAJOR ACTION BY SPANISH FARMERS
Organizing through social media groups, Spanish farmers held their first major protest today against the agricultural policies of both the European Union (EU) and the Spanish government.
Although the farmers' protests remained peaceful, traffic was seen to be gridlocked on major highways across the country.
STRENGTHENING OF LAWS
In statements made by the unions representing agricultural sector workers, the reasons for the protests were listed as follows:
"Flexibility in EU agricultural policies, restrictions and stricter inspections on products coming from non-EU countries, increased aid against drought issues, strengthening of the food chain control and laws from farm to market, and expansion of insurance rights for farmers."
The farmers' protests, which first began in France and later spread to other countries such as Germany, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Romania, Portugal, and Greece, have intensified in Spain starting this week.
While farmers' unions announced that they would hold protests in different cities every day, the largest demonstrations are planned to take place in the Catalonia region on February 13 and in the capital, Madrid, on February 21.