![Protesting Spanish farmers drive hundreds of tractors to Madrid](https://i-invdn-com.investing.com/trkd-images/LYNXNPEK1K0ES_L.jpg)
© Reuters. Spanish farmers attend a protest over worth pressures, taxes and inexperienced regulation, grievances shared by farmers throughout Europe, in Madrid, Spain, February 21, 2024. REUTERS/Juan Medina
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By Catarina Demony and Guillermo Martinez
MADRID (Reuters) – Convoys of tractors disrupted visitors across the Spanish capital on Wednesday as farmers protesting towards what they see as extreme pink tape and inadequate state support converged in downtown Madrid to march in direction of the Agriculture Ministry.
Farmers have been protesting for weeks throughout European nations, most not too long ago together with Poland, Greece and the Czech Republic. All of them name for a discount of forms linked to the European Union’s Frequent Agriculture Coverage and a loosening of the bloc’s environmental guidelines.
As they waited for 5 columns of tractors to achieve the gathering level on the central Independence Sq., protesters sporting yellow vests waved Spanish flags and rang cow bells there whereas blaring music from loudspeakers.
Site visitors across the Puerta de Alcala monument floor to a halt, with a number of buses unable to proceed their routes as protesters crowded the streets.
Some farmers complained that police have been stopping tractors from getting into Madrid. The federal government stated that 500 tractors had been allowed entry – as that was the determine given by organisers when requesting authorisation for the protest – whereas a further 150 autos have been blocked from town.
Two of the 5 columns had already arrived, the federal government stated, including that the one incident of word was the blockade of the A42 motorway connecting Toledo to Madrid, which had been damaged up by the police.
Lucia Risueno, a 52-year-old winery farmer from the Castille-La Mancha area, stated that authorities had failed to assist the sector and known as for fairer costs.
“I’ve the identical bills however I am making half as a lot, so we will not go on like this,” she instructed Reuters, including there was no restrict to the protests till the federal government applied robust measures to assist farmers.
Adolfo Albaladejo, 54, stated he was preventing to make sure agriculture doesn’t disappear from his nation.
“The Spanish countryside desires protectionism. We wish to shield our merchandise and be aggressive,” he stated.