German farmers began a week-long nationwide protest yesterday by blocking the country’s highways with tractors in response to plans to gradually eliminate agricultural subsidies, Reuters reports.
In particular, the farmers promised to block major transportation and logistics routes for a week, saying that the termination of tax benefits would significantly worsen their financial situation.
The farmers’ action prompted the ruling coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to change its plans to pay the subsidy for agricultural fuel. Thus, while it was initially planned to completely abolish the subsidy, now this process will be phased in – in 2024, its amount will be reduced by 40%, in 2025 – by another 30%, and the complete abolition will take place starting in 2026.
In addition, the German government has also abandoned plans to abolish the preferential tax on vehicles for forestry and agriculture. However, the German Farmers’ Association (DBV), which is the organizer of the protest, said that these decisions are insufficient.
Source: Apkinform