The national strike of farmers in Germany paralysed the work of the plant of the German manufacturer of passenger cars Volkswagen in the city of Emden. This was reported the day before by local publication Welt.
“Production has been halted today,” said an official representative of the enterprise.
As the media noted, the demonstrators blocked the entrances to the plant, due to which the employees of the enterprise could not get to the place of work. The Volkswagen plant in Emden has assembly lines for the production of both electric and internal combustion engine vehicles. According to the group’s management, production is expected to resume on Tuesday.
Tens of thousands of German farmers have been on a nationwide strike since Monday over opposition to the government’s plans to remove diesel subsidies and reinstate a transport tax on vehicles for forestry and agriculture.
On Thursday, 4 January, the German government said it would not abolish fuel subsidies overnight, promising a phased reduction in the benefit. According to the cabinet’s new plans, subsidies will be reduced by 40 per cent in the first phase in 2024 and 60 per cent in the second phase in 2025 and 2026, giving “agricultural companies more time to adapt”. However, Germany’s farmers’ association called these concessions from the authorities “insufficient”, saying the decision to hold a seven-day nationwide protest from Monday “remains in force”.
By midday on the first day of the strike, German farmers had blocked a number of federal motorways and parts of major German cities. In Munich alone, more than eight thousand protesters marched to the city’s central square. Bundestag deputy from the Green Party Karl Behr tried to come out to the protesters in the Bavarian capital for a talk, but the crowd met the parliamentarian with “deafening whistling” and shouts of “Get out!”, the media noted.
According to farmer Holger Lüth, ordinary citizens are supporting the strikers despite the discomfort caused by the blocking of motorways.
“We are here to let the ruling coalition know that their policies are no longer acceptable. The townspeople are supporting us, even giving us free sausages and sandwiches. <> But this is just the beginning. In a week’s time things will get really intense at the main rally in Berlin!” – said Lüth, who together with farmers and road hauliers have been blocking motorway exits on the approach to Berlin since this morning.
“Germany needs new elections”, “With this coalition Germany will lose hop and malt production”, “Better death than slavery” – these are just some of the placards the protesting farmers are displaying on their machinery.
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