Farmers protested in Vitoria. The Treviñu and Araba associations have called for the collection of tractors for February 10 and 11. On Monday, a protest meeting was held at 10:00 a.m. in the city center, starting from the Buesa Arena parking lots. On February 11, they will meet in Jundiz and take the protest to the logistics platform of Mercadona.

The EITB explains that the organizers want to highlight disagreements on several issues. As in last year’s protests, farmers, again this year, have criticized the Mercosur trade agreement, arguing that it results in a reduction in the income of local farmers. They demand compliance with the food chain law to guarantee prices equal to the cost. They also demand fair prices. They warn that there is a risk that the photovoltaic macro-projects that have been designed for Álava will take over fertile agricultural lands. They also call for an end to the protection of the wolf and insist on their opposition to the hydrocarbon tax.

Taxes on fuel in Bayonne condemned

Under the name of ‘Peasants of the Pyrenees Mountain Range’, several peasants from the Southern Basque Country and the Northern Basque Country are protesting. A call was made to gather tractors in Beskoitz, and they say they want to prolong the protest for 24 hours. The tractors take the highway to Bayonne. The media outlet Sud Ouest has received the words of Jean-Francois Lasserre, mayor and grower of Bidaxune. He explained that they have three claims. One, as requested by the Arabs, is to put an end to the unfair competition in Mercosur. Secondly, it criticises the absence of the same regulation in all European countries and calls for homogenisation. Thirdly, he said that taxes on fuels had doubled for ten years and called for a reduction in taxes.

Kazeta.eus has been picked up by the media, which is also a new topic in the current protests. Growers with problems due to bovine tuberculosis have taken advantage of the protest to denounce the protocol on this disease.

Tafalla observes the Spanish movements

In Navarre, the association Semilla y Herarra has convened the meeting of tractors for Tafalla. Semilla y Herarra joins the call made by Unaspi (Union of Independent Associations of the Primary Sector) in the Spanish State.

Unaspi points out that this protest is an opportunity for society and authorities to warn of the danger of Mercosur. He says that "keeping the sector alive" is at stake. It calls for urgent measures to guarantee the future of Spanish agriculture and livestock, and refers to products from abroad. They call for compliance with European food quality measures and denounce that failure to comply with these measures leads to unfair competition and non-compliance with health standards. For Unaspi, food sovereignty is at risk "due to the rise of foreign products". On the other hand, Unaspi complains about European environmental policies. Due to the need to comply with environmental measures, he denounces that "the costs are rising".

He says the protests will continue “until the needs are heard and urgent decisions are made.”