Tractors take over downtown Prague as farmer protests continue in Europe

Feb 19, 2024

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Production), Jake Maslo (Editor)

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Farmers in tractors took to the streets of downtown Prague on Monday, Feb. 19, to protest rising energy prices and stringent climate change regulations. Hundreds of Czech farmers drove their tractors into town, blocking some lanes of traffic in the process.

One farmer who talked to Reuters said he came out to signal his disapproval of “the bureaucracy around farming,” and the paperwork involved in agriculture, describing it as “on the edge of what is bearable.”

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However, Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala said some protesters had ulterior motives.

“Today’s demonstration does not have much in common with the fight for better conditions for farmers,” Fiala wrote on X. “We are negotiating with those who represent farmers and discussing what our agriculture needs are.”

According to ABC News, major organizations representing Czech farmers did not participate and distanced themselves from the rally after discovering some protesters were behind pro-Russian demonstrations. Some protesters in Prague called for the government’s resignation and yelled “shame” outside of Parliament.

However, the major organizations representing Czech farmers that did not participate said they would be present at the expected protests on Thursday, Feb. 22, along border crossings. ABC News reported farmers from nine countries are expected to be part of the protests.

Similar protests have popped up in Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Poland. The European Union did make some concessions weeks ago, including scrapping plans to cut the use of pesticides and chemicals, according to ABC News. However, despite the concessions, protests continue.

In January, French farmers demanding lower fuel prices, higher wages and fewer regulations brought farm equipment to block major roadways outside of Paris.

French farmers were particularly resistant to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law that states that 4% of farmland must go unused, according to Radio France Internationale.

Farmers contend the EU law cuts into production and hurts their income. The law, passed in 2023, is reportedly intended to combat climate change by preserving and restoring habitats harmed by farming.

Tags: Agriculture, Climate Change, Europe, European Union, Farming, France, Germany, Italy, Protests, Regulation

[KARAH RUCKER]

TRACTORS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE, AN INCREASINGLY FAMILIAR SITE ACROSS EUROPE, AS FARMERS PROTEST RISING ENERGY PRICES AND STRINGENT CLIMATE CHANGE REGULATIONS.

NOW, HUNDREDS OF CZECH FARMERS HAVE DRIVEN THEIR TRACTORS INTO DOWNTOWN PRAGUE, BLOCKING LANES OF TRAFFIC.

ONE FARMER TOLD REUTERS:

“WE CAME TODAY MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE BUREAUCRACY AROUND FARMING, THE PAPERWORK IS ON THE EDGE OF WHAT IS BEARABLE.”

HOWEVER, THE CZECH REPUBLIC’S PRIME MINISTER SAYS PROTESTERS IN MONDAY’S DEMONSTRATION HAD ULTERIOR MOTIVES.

HE WROTE ON X:

“TODAY’S DEMONSTRATION DOES NOT HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE FIGHT FOR BETTER CONDITIONS FOR FARMERS.”

HE ADDED:

“WE ARE NEGOTIATING WITH THOSE WHO REPRESENT FARMERS AND DISCUSSING WHAT OUR AGRICULTURE NEEDS ARE.”

ABC NEWS REPORTS MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING CZECH FARMERS DID NOT PARTICIPATE AND DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM THE RALLY– AFTER DISCOVERING SOME PROTESTERS WERE BEHIND PRO-RUSSIAN DEMONSTRATIONS.

SOME DEMONSTRATORS CALLED FOR THE GOVERNMENT’S RESIGNATION.

MORE CZECH FARMING GROUPS SAY THEY WILL JOIN PROTESTS AGAINST E-U POLICIES ON THURSDAY.

THEY WILL BE REPORTEDLY JOINED BY FARMERS FROM NINE OTHER COUNTRIES, ALONG BORDER CROSSINGS.

SIMILAR PROTESTS HAVE POPPED UP IN GERMANY, ITALY, SLOVAKIA AND POLAND.

THE EU DID MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS WEEKS AGO, INCLUDING SCRAPPING PLANS TO CUT THE USE OF PESTICIDES AND CHEMICALS. STILL, THE PROTESTS SEEM TO BE SPREADING.

LAST MONTH, FRENCH FARMERS DEMANDING LOWER FUEL PRICES, HIGHER WAGES, AND FEWER REGULATIONS BROUGHT FARM EQUIPMENT TO BLOCK MAJOR ROADWAYS OUTSIDE OF PARIS.

FARMERS HAD PARTICULAR RESISTANCE TO THE EUROPEAN UNION’S NATURE RESTORATION LAW THAT SAYS FOUR PERCENT OF FARMLAND MUST GO UNUSED. FARMERS SAY THE RULE CUTS INTO PRODUCTION– AND HURTS THEIR INCOME.

THE LAW, WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2023, IS MEANT TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE IN AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE HABITATS HARMED BY FARMING.