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Farmers set off for Berlin to protest

The unpleasant Advent news has caught farmers all over the country off guard: they are to be hit twice by austerity plans. Outrage about this is now set to become visible in the capital.

Demonstration - Farmers set off for Berlin to protest

Hundreds of farmers from Lower Saxony set off for Berlin on Monday morning for a rally against the planned abolition of tax concessions. Under the slogan "Too much is too much", a rally (11.00) is planned at the Brandenburg Gate. Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) is also expected to speak. The German Farmers' Association is demanding that the "traffic light" government withdraw its plans to abolish regulations on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax exemptions. The traffic light government wants to achieve savings in the federal budget.

According to a spokeswoman for the Landvolkes, more than 1500 farmers from all over Lower Saxony will take part in the demonstration in Berlin. More than 1000 farmers will be traveling by train, bus and car. In addition, 350 tractors with one or two farmers on board had set off. Farmers had already met in Lüchow in Wendland during the night to travel to Berlin with their tractors. Farmers from other parts of Lower Saxony had already set off for the capital on Sunday.

The farmers' association has also called for the demonstration nationwide via its state farmers' associations. Farmers' President Joachim Rukwied and other industry representatives want to make their displeasure at the plans clear at the rally. "We farmers will send a first clear signal to the coalition with the traffic light system on Monday," Rukwied told the German Press Agency. The proposals on agricultural diesel and vehicle tax must be completely withdrawn.

Holger Hennies, President of the Landvolk in Lower Saxony, also criticized the fact that one percent of the population, the farmers, would have to bear ten percent of the burden. "That is extremely unfair," said the head of the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association last week. Hennies pointed out that in other European countries, agricultural diesel continues to be tax-privileged, putting German agriculture in a worse position than its competitors in neighboring countries.

Press release Farmers' Association Call for demonstration Farmers' Association on the economic situation

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Source: www.stern.de

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