The security forces of France The last two road blocks maintained by farmers were removed this Saturday, after the lifting of most of them following the promise of aid and new measures from the government.
The evacuation of these blockades on a toll road between the cities of Lyon and Chamberyand near a purchasing center of a large distributor in the department of Loire-Atlantiqueoccurred without altercations, the union and the prefectures of these areas told AFP.
READ ALSO: NATO launches Steadfast, its largest military exercises since the Cold War
The protesters present at the tollbooth wanted “go out with dignity and singing”declared Isabelle Douillona farmer.
For the operation, around “fifty gendarmes” were deployed. everything happened “with calm and serenity”added this farmer.
These were the last two blockades that the Peasant Confederationaccording to a spokeswoman for this minority agricultural union, after FNSEA, Young Farmers (JA) and Rural Coordination.
The Confederation was the last union that asked to continue with the mobilization this weekend and next week, to denounce the government’s agricultural policy and demand greater measures on wages.
Most of the French farmers who blocked sections of roads, such as at the gates of Paristhey gradually lifted the blockades since Thursday.
This decision came after a series of announcements by the French government to calm the anger of farmers, whose protest spread to other countries in the European Unionas SpainItaly or Germany.
The government of the new prime minister Gabriel Attalwhich faced its first crisis, promised a package of 400 million euross ($432 million) to French farmers and announced the temporary suspension of a plan to reduce the use of pesticides, which generated the anger of environmental organizations and representatives.
In Brussels, the European Commission, for its part, promised on Thursday measures to defend the “legitimate interests” of EU farmers, reducing the “administrative burden” of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Unions FNSEA and JA gave the government until February 24, the date on which the Paris Agricultural Show, annual event in the rural world, to make its announcements concrete. They also ask for a law before June.
