The main agricultural organizations (Asaja, COAG and UPA) this Thursday signal the start of a series of mobilizations in which they call to demand improved working conditions in the primary sector in February. Unofficial protests regarding the situation in the countryside attracted media attention this Tuesday and Wednesday. Although the official calendar of mobilizations planned by the associations starts this Thursday in four locations: Ávila, Salamanca, Huesca and Ciudad Real. “We are expecting a big mobilization because our colleagues who are already going out these days will join the mobilization this Thursday,” says José Manuel Cortés, one of the farmers affiliated with COAG Salamanca.
These demonstrations, to which agricultural organizations were called en masse, came after hundreds of tractors were raided in the city of Barcelona this Wednesday. villagers Catalans managed to convey their demands to the Catalan capital with an informal appeal via WhatsApp and Telegram groups. “We realize that people want to continue taking action, and there are many reasons for this. Both our members and the people who have taken to the streets in recent days told us that they also joined this Thursday,” says Javier Fatás. COAG Aragonese farmer.
In the case of Huesca, several tractor branches plan to enter the city and go to the Government sub-delegation to deliver a manifesto. Then the farmers will set out to continue mobilization.. “There is great motivation among farmers in this region to continue the protest,” says Javier Fatás. “From now on, more regular, more organized protests are coming. We hope to mobilize our members and those who have already mobilized these days,” explains José Manuel Cortes from COAG Salamanca. In this city, they will present a manifesto to the Government sub-delegation and then hit the roads.
Protests in major capitals
The mobilization calendar of agricultural organizations does not foresee mobilizations in Spain’s main urban centers such as Madrid and Barcelona.. “In the case of the Madrid Community, protests will be held on regional roads on February 12, and mobilization in Mercamadrid is also being considered. Asaja from Madrid, our colleagues from COAG and UPA are in favor of holding demonstrations in the capital.” say COAG sources.
On the other hand, a big demonstration was held in Barcelona this Wednesday, with nearly 2,000 tractors touring the city of Barcelona. “We are tired, but we are tired of everything”Farmers and ranchers took out chairs, tables and even a grill and planted them on the pavement of streets in the city of Barcelona. “we had to come hereto the capital, first, so that they could see us, so that they would know that we were people like them and not residents of an Indian reservation… And secondly, it was clear that the politicians were not coming. See us in Lleida or Amposta,” says David, one of the new farmers participating in the protests. Newspaper.
This Wednesday, the farmers’ protests increased in tone and diversified their fronts: from Tuesday’s barricades to the closure of ports such as Castellón, where arrests were made, and online: Cyber attacks on websites of Spanish institutions. Six people were also arrested at the Granda protest. Although no major incidents have been reported in supply markets, truck drivers’ associations estimate 80,000 people have been affected and the mass consumer chain (industry and supermarkets) have warned of incidents. and they called on the Government to take action over delays in logistics centres.
mobilization in Europe
As in Spain, many European farmers continue their demonstrations in other countries of the Old Continent. Primary sector workers in Greece They closed the country’s main roads and declared new mobilization in Poland. Meanwhile, the European Commission (EC) this Wednesday, in a debate on the primary sector in the European Parliament, asked not to “oversimplify” the situation that has led to demonstrations in the European Union (EU) in recent weeks.
“There are many reasons that have brought farmers to the streets in recent weeks and Because the problems of the agri-food sector are complex, it is important not to oversimplify the situation.“, according to Maros Sefcovic, EC vice-president for the European Green Deal.