Agricultural policy - Politicians in the north support the farmers' association's protest
Many farmers from Schleswig-Holstein also want to take part in nationwide protests against the federal government 's austerity measures in the coming week. There will be demonstrations throughout the state on three days, announced the President of the Schleswig-Holstein Farmers' Association, Klaus-Peter Lucht, on Thursday after a meeting with top representatives of the state parties. There will be traffic obstructions due to slow-moving convoys. They will protest peacefully and within the law.
The background to this is the original decision by the federal government to no longer subsidize agricultural diesel for agriculture and forestry. In addition, both professional groups should pay vehicle tax for their vehicles such as tractors and combine harvesters. According to the association, both would cost farmers across Germany almost 1.4 billion euros a year.
Shortly after the farmers' association 's press conference, a spokesperson for the federal government in Berlin announced that the coalition government was withdrawing some of the resolutions. Accordingly, the exemption from motor vehicle tax is to remain and the reduction of the agricultural diesel tax advantage is not to take place in one step. A spokeswoman for the farmers' association said that the planned protest would remain despite the announcement from Berlin.
There had been no talks prior to the announcement that the subsidized agricultural diesel and the motor vehicle tax exemption for agricultural and forestry vehicles would be abolished, criticized Lucht. "And that is unacceptable. It's a slap in the face."
Support for the farmers' association came from politicians in Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday. The deputy state CDU chairwoman and member of the Bundestag Petra Nicolaisen spoke of a distortion of competition. The decisions were unacceptable. The structural change in agriculture would be exacerbated as a result. "This is a one-sided cut at the expense of agriculture and agricultural businesses."
For the FDP, state chairman Oliver Kumbartzky criticized a one-sided disadvantage in European competition. "I have no sympathy for such a special sacrifice." He expects the measures to be withdrawn. The SSW chairman Christian Dirschauer warned of the consequences of the burden, namely the death of farms.
The state chairman of the Greens, Gazi Freitag, said that his party supported the farmers' association's protest. The proposals should be scaled back and a dialog initiated. SPD member of parliament Bengt Bergt also said he regretted that decisions had been made without seeking dialog. "We have understood that there is a lot of resentment." The SPD parliamentary group would have liked other measures, said Bergt. He mentioned the debt brake, the company car privilege and the issue of wealth taxation for the super-rich.
According to the farmers' association, the protests are to begin on Monday in the south of Schleswig-Holstein. Columns are planned in the districts of Dithmarschen, Steinburg, Pinneberg, Segeberg, Stormarn and the Duchy of Lauenburg. In addition, a "Tow trucks out the door" campaign is underway in the district of Nordfriesland. On Wednesday, campaigns are planned in Flensburg, Ostholstein, Stormarn, the Duchy of Lauenburg and Lübeck. To conclude on Friday, farmers from the districts of Plön and Rendsburg-Eckernförde plan to travel to Kiel for a rally.
According to the farmers' association, the marches will cause traffic disruptions. No blockades are planned anywhere. "We are presenting our concerns clearly and firmly, but as a business association we are always independent of party politics and in line with the law," said Lucht. "We have always clearly distanced ourselves from extreme fringe groups, breaches of the law or calls to do so and will continue to do so in the future."
Schleswig-Holstein Farmers' Association
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Source: www.stern.de
