The secretary-general of the Portuguese Farmers’ Confederation (CAP) considered that the farmers’ demonstration taking place in Brussels is a “show of force” against the “political discourse” of Ursula von der Leyen’s executive.
“It’s a show of strength, it’s exactly so that there’s no doubt about the determination of farmers and the need to change the rules regarding the Common Agricultural Policy [CAP],” Luís Mira, who is part of the delegation taking part in the protests, told Lusa at a time when they are continuing in force at the European institutions where the agriculture ministers are meeting.
The sound of firecrackers is uninterrupted and the demonstrators are setting fires in front of a security perimeter set up by the police to block the advance of the thousands of farmers.
Luís Mira said that the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, “announced a set of intentions” that “need to be put into the EU regulation”.
“Until [EU regulations] are changed, none of this has any practical effect. What farmers from all over Europe are saying here today is that we need to put into practice what has been the political discourse,” he added.
CAP’s secretary-general demanded that all the amendments proposed today during the meeting of the member states’ agriculture ministers be approved and that they be amended in the national legislation of each of the 27.
“People think that this has already been resolved, that it has already been changed. It’s not until the regulations are changed, until the rules are changed,” he added.
Most of today’s meetings were canceled due to the seriousness of the farmers’ protest and the clashes they were involved in with security forces outside the Council of the European Union building.
Only the agriculture ministers are continuing to discuss the proposed new measures.
