Prague Farmers Demand Reforms in Tractor-Mounted Protest
Protesting farmers called for the resignation of Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny, above (Wikimedia Commons).
Over 3,000 tractor-mounted farmers took to the streets of Prague, Czechia in protest on the morning of March 7 to demand the removal of EU Green Deal Restrictions, reduced subsidies, and cheap agricultural imports undermining their production. Farmers rallied in front of a government building, dumping manure on the streets and calling for the resignation of Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny.
In the past month, Czech farmers have exercised three large-scale protests organized by the Czech Agricultural Association, and continue to express dissatisfaction with government responses to their demands. “The government should take farmers’ demands seriously. Not only in the Czech Republic but around Europe. The future of farming is playing out,” 50-year-old farmer Ivo Kasal said. Similar trends demanding protectionist agricultural policy are sweeping across European cities like Warsaw and Brussels.
Protestors attached banners to their tractors stating “the production of Czech food will be threatened” as they shouted “shame” and “don’t take our jobs.” The farmers called on the government to reduce the increasing taxation on farmland ownership, criticizing the counterproductive taxation of EU subsidies and high regulations. Moreover, the mass import of Ukrainian grain at low prices has consistently undermined local markets, with farmers arguing against its lower quality. The farming community remains an essential voting bloc for the upcoming 2024 European Union parliamentary elections.
Despite an agreement in early March increasing support for farmers by two billion Czech koruna (86 million USD), the Agrarian Chamber wants subsidies matching 2022 levels and direct programs supporting agricultural sector employment. Farmer Pavel Cihalr called on officials to “figure out how an agriculture sector that worked before will continue to work.”
The head of the Agricultural Union, Martin Pycha, referred to the manure dumping—which led to one arrest—as a “spontaneous action by farmers,” calling on the government to fulfill their demands regarding subsidies and the reduction of real estate taxes on land. Prime Minister Petr Fiala has repeated his openness to negotiation; however, given the destruction of the protest and manure dumping on the streets of Prague, he stated that he has no intention of “giving in to pressure, blackmail, blocking streets, or restricting people’s lives.” He maintained that the government can also withdraw the two billion koruna already promised to farmers and utilize the funds in other areas of public service.
Agriculture Minister Vyborny responded to the demonstrations by saying, “I respect anyone’s right to protest, and I’m ready for a fair discussion with the farmers.” Yet he argued that the non-taxation of subsidies would only help large agribusinesses, and the ministry “would thus miss the target we are wanting to help, which are medium-sized farms.”