Farmers have expressed their displeasure and are warning of new mobilizations from Monday.
With the submission of a motion for a resolution by the governing coalition parties (SPD, Greens, FDP) in support of the farmers, but without any change on the phasing out of the agricultural diesel subsidy the debate in the German federal parliament on agricultural policy ended.
Farmers on the other hand, express the their dissatisfaction and warn of new mobilizationsfrom Monday. Speaking from the floor of the Bundestag, Minister of Agricultural Economy Cem Eczdemir called for cross-party solutions to achieve a better result in the agricultural production sector.
Minister calls for cross-party solutions
“We now have the opportunity to work together constructively to ensure that German agriculture has a future. Farmers can protect the climate, nature and animals and at the same time produce high-quality food.
But someone will have to pay for the effort”, said the minister and emphasized above all the need to ensure reliable funding for the conversion of stables, in order for livestock to guarantee animal welfare and to strengthen the position of farmers in the chain up to retail. He even added that a relevant investigation should be assigned to the Federal Anti-Cartel Office.
Germany's parliament has reached a new resolution on the agricultural bill
What the resolution provides
In the resolution submitted by the three parliamentary groups, there is also talk of reducing bureaucracy and of “a political commitment to register specific projects in the first quarter of 2024, which will provide security and relief to rural planning and the appropriate measures will be adopted by the summer”.
“The government rules against the people,” replied Christian Democratic Party (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz, taking the floor soon after. Mr. Mertz argued that the majority does not support either the government's agricultural or fiscal policy and that in this way “trust in state institutions is increasingly at risk” and called on Chancellor Olaf Solz to deal “urgently and with great care” with the protests of the farmers and the reaction of the people.
“Reconcile with your politics, before a part of our country already this year becomes ungovernable”, he characteristically said, indirectly referring to the possibility of the Alternative prevailing for Germany (AfD) in state elections held later this year. Regarding the demonstrations in particular, Friedrich Merz spoke of an “expression of discontent and frustration” and a “protest of the entire German countryside”.
What the president of the Farmers' Union said
The president of the German Farmers' Union, Joachim Ruckwid, appeared dissatisfied with the development of the debate in the Bundestag and reiterated that if the planned cuts to the agricultural diesel subsidy are not canceled , from next Monday there will be “new, extensive” mobilizations.
“The demonstrations until now have only been demonstrations,” said Mr. Rookvid. “If something doesn't change, there could be an explosion. From next Monday, we will continue with actions throughout the Federal Republic”, he emphasized, with an eye on tonight's meeting of the Budget Committee of the Bundestag, during which issues of budget strength in relation to agricultural requests will be raised.
Farmers are meanwhile ready for mobilizations during the international exhibition “Green Week”, which opens its gates tomorrow in Berlin.
source: in.gr, With information from APE – MEP
