4 thousand Slovak farmers protest against Ukrainian grain and European rules

Slovaks have joined Polish agrarians who have resumed a massive protest against Ukraine in their country. Slovaks are dissatisfied with the European Union’s agricultural policy and the supply of Ukrainian grain to their markets.

About 4 thousand farmers with more than 2 thousand pieces of agricultural machinery took to the roads of Slovakia. The protesters are gathering in Bratislava at the Trnava Fairground from where they will head to the parliament. Their main demands include reducing bureaucratic hurdles both at the national and European levels.

Recall that Ukrainian agricultural products are significantly cheaper than any European ones, so with free access to the EU market, it becomes unprofitable for local farmers to produce grain. Countries usually introduce quotas and additional taxes to support their citizens, but now, as part of assistance to Ukraine, Brussels has lifted trade restrictions for Ukraine. This has caused dissatisfaction among farmers in many European countries: Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.