Hundreds of tractors blocked a road in Prague on Monday during a protest by farmers against the EU agricultural policies.
Traffic was not stopped, but the council warned people to limit their travelling to Prague on Monday.
The protesters planned to deliver a letter to Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny with their demands. In particular, they oppose the EU’s Green Deal, which calls for curbing the use of chemicals and greenhouse gas emissions, and want the country to withdraw from it. Some protesters demanded the resignation of the government.
Other farmers’ groups said they planned to hold separate demonstrations on Thursday along with colleagues from neighbouring and other countries.
Similar protests have taken place across the bloc in recent weeks. Farmers complain that the 27-nation EU’s policies on the environment and other issues are a financial burden and make their produce more expensive than imports from non-EU countries.
Polish farmers have blocked Polish-Ukrainian border crossings as well as railway links to Ukraine. The farmers believe that the influx of cheap agricultural products is damaging the local market.
On 20 February, Greek farmers promise to come to Athens on tractors. On the 22 February, a coordinated large-scale action of agrarians from Central and Eastern Europe is planned. And on 24 February, the Salon d’Agriculture opens in Paris, which threatens to become the scene of a fierce confrontation between French authorities and farmers.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has made some concessions in recent weeks, including postponing plans to halve the use of pesticides and other hazardous substances. Still, the protests have spread.
