Federal savings plans
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Thousands of farmers protest with tractors in Berlin
Farmers from all over Germany came to Berlin with their tractors to protest against the federal government’s austerity plans. Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir promised further government consultations.
- Thousands of farmers drove to Berlin on tractors
- Protest against federal plans to abolish tax breaks
- Agriculture Minister Özdemir wants to mitigate planned cuts
Farmers from all over Germany protested in Berlin on Monday against planned cuts in agricultural subsidies. According to the organizers, 8,000 to 10,000 people took part in the demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate, and more than 3,000 tractors rolled into the capital.
The federal government wants to burden farmers with an additional burden of more than one billion euros per year, said farmers’ president Joachim Rukwied on Monday. An end to regulations on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemption is “a declaration of war” and this is being accepted.
Rukwied has already threatened larger protests in January if the “unreasonable proposals” are not completely withdrawn. “Then from January 8th we will be present everywhere in a way that the country has never experienced before.” He called on Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) to now put pressure on the government for farmers and rural areas.
Whistles and boos for Agriculture Minister Özdemir
Özdemir showed understanding for the protest: “I know that you came to Berlin with a lot of anger,” said the Green politician at the farmers’ association rally at the Brandenburg Gate.
It is clear that after the Federal Constitutional Court’s budget ruling, more savings need to be made – but not disproportionately in agriculture. “I don’t believe in the cuts to this extent,” emphasized Özdemir. “That’s why I’m fighting in the cabinet to ensure that this severity doesn’t happen.”
Özdemir’s speech at the rally was interrupted several times by whistles and shouts. Farmers President Joachim Rukwied called on the demonstrators to show respect and asked them to listen to the minister. Özdemir spoke out against derogatory statements.
Significant traffic disruptions
In the morning, according to the police, several hundred tractors were on their way to the center of Berlin on a total of five access routes from the outskirts of the city.
In the meantime, there were delays in the arrival of the demo participants because the police had actually set an upper limit of 1,000 tractors for the rally. As a spokesman said, all tractors still arriving were then allowed into the city center. However, paths should have been kept clear for emergency vehicles, for example.
The German Farmers’ Association had called on the entire agricultural industry to drive to Berlin in tractor parades from different directions. Farmers drove into the city center on the B1/B5 from the east, the B2 from the north and the B96 from the north and south. There were significant traffic disruptions, and traffic was also backed up on the departure in the afternoon.
Tax benefits should be eliminated
The traffic light coalition plans, among other things, to eliminate the agricultural diesel subsidy and the vehicle tax exemption for agriculture. The cuts are part of the federal government’s budget consolidation following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
According to information from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the abolition of the concession on motor vehicle tax for forestry and agriculture should bring in 480 million euros annually. There was initially no further information on the savings potential of abolishing tax breaks for agricultural diesel.
According to the German Farmers’ Association, almost a billion euros would be withdrawn from agriculture. “We will not put up with this,” announced farmers’ president Joachim Rukwied. If the federal government does not completely withdraw the plans, there will be massive resistance from January.
Support from the Brandenburg SPD
The Brandenburg SPD state parliament member Erik Stohn supported the farmers’ protest against the planned abolition of tax breaks for agriculture. “The cuts are hitting rural areas and especially the East hard,” the politician said on Monday.
Stohn called on the federal government to explain the “existing emergency situation, for which the government itself is not responsible, and to lift the debt brake.”
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell, December 18, 2023, 7:30 p.m