Berlin – Farmers from across Germany will drive their tractors to the centre of Berlin again on Tuesday, to call for a greater say in agricultural policy.
This is according to the organisers of the protest.
The farmers want more respect for the work they do, and some 10,000 people are expected at a rally at the Brandenburg Gate, clogging up roads with some 2,000 tractors.
They added that Julia Kloeckner, the agricultural minister and a member of the governing Christian Democrats, will address the farmers on Tuesday.
Berlin’s current agricultural and environmental policies are damaging Germany’s economic power and social harmony, the organisers said.
They noted that farmers are critical of the government’s agricultural policy which includes measures to protect the environment and insects, and to restrict the use of fertiliser.
Further, farmers are concerned about the Mercosur free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American trade bloc. And, according to the organisers, farmers want more respect for the work they do.
The protest was called by a group called Initiative Land schafft Verbindung, which unites tens of thousands of farmers in Germany.
“We are calling everyone to the table – to talk to one another rather than about one another,” the group said, adding that in addition to Kloeckner, the farmers also demand talks with Environment Minister Svenja Schulze and NGOs.
According to the German farmers’ association state- and county farmers’ associations are also involved and support the demonstration.
The association’s secretary general, Bernhard Kruesken, said, “the demo will show that we need a fresh start in our social dialogue.”
Last month saw demonstrations by farmers in several cities in Germany including Berlin.
Some 6,000 farmers gathered in Bonn at the largest demonstration so far, in October, when protesters argued that current agricultural policies are endangering their survival.
Protests were also held last week in Hamburg during the conference of environmental ministers.
(dpa/NAN)
