Unions call on French farmers to end the blockade

The union explains that it wants to work on the points in ministries and local authorities. But even after government announcements, French farmers blocked the highway on the German-French border.

After further promises of assistance from the government, the largest agricultural unions in France called for a temporary end to the blockade imposed by farmers. Arnaud Guillot of the Young Farmers Union said on Thursday that the declarations should be written down again and then the blockade should be suspended.

Instead of obstruction, ministries and local authorities want to work on the points announced by the government. “The movement does not stop, it changes,” explained Arnaud Rousseau of the FNSEA union.

Guillot wants to see tangible improvements at the International Agriculture Trade Fair at the end of February. Long-term measures should be taken by June. If not, we will not hesitate to mobilize again on a large scale. Rousseau also warned: “If we find out that all this was nothing but excitement, the result will be disastrous.”

The highway was blocked by 400 tractors

Despite calls from French agricultural unions to end the blockade after promises of assistance from the government in Paris, farmers blocked the highway between France and Baden-Württemberg with about 400 tractors. Farmers from Alsace and Baden began blocking the highway triangle in Neuchâtel on Thursday afternoon. The A36, which connects the A5 on the German side of the Rhine and the A35 on the left bank of the Rhine in France, was closed near the French border town of Otmarsheim. As reported by the newspaper “Les Dernières Nouvelles d”Alsace, there were traffic jams a kilometer long. Traffic was redirected along county roads.

French farmers have been demonstrating for days, especially by blocking highways, against the decline in income, the environmental regulations imposed by Brussels and, in their opinion, the many requirements. The government promised them comprehensive assistance. (APA/DPA)