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INPRIMATU
Farmers close the Biriatou limit to heavy transport
  • They want to close the limit 24 hours from 10:00 on Monday morning. Farmers report that no progress has been made in their claims since March.
Olaia L. Garaialde 2024ko ekainaren 03a
Laborarien protesta. Argazkia: EFE

Tractors have been on the road since the first hour of the morning and have already begun to notice their presence on the roads. Since then, at 07:00, farmers have stopped traffic and caused agglomerations in some parts of the Basque Country Herria.La the idea is to close the highway between Gipuzkoa and Lapurdi to heavy transport for 24 hours from 10:00 hours. At first the limit has been completely closed and after two hours they have made a way for the coches.Aunque it is a one-day protest, if the objectives are not achieved, they do not rule out the conversion of the protest into indefinite or the realization of other protests.

This is not the first time they have closed the border, they did so also on 7 March, but farmers have denounced that no progress has been made since then. The protests are not limited to the Basque Country and are intended to close other Pyrenean borders such as Somport, Portalet (Aragon, Spain) and Jonque (Catalan Countries).

Among their demands are the lack of payment of fuel and energy tax, the prioritization of local products, the need for non-EU food to comply with higher safety conditions and the “rigour” of the rules on the Food Chain Law.

Looking at Europe

The demands are directly related to the European Union, as one third of its budget is intended for agricultural policies, where they will have to negotiate the common agricultural policy from 2027. Farmers have explained that they have protested voluntarily during the week of the European Parliament elections.

Many agricultural organizations have joined the protest, including: Association Ataca, Trebiñu and Araba Landaren Alde; Bagea Gipuzkoako Baserritar Gazte Elkartea Auzolana; Seed and Belarra of Navarra; Movimiento Independiente de France; and Again Elkartea. They are all farmers organized outside the trade unions.