Farmers and ranchers continue with their road closures and will mobilize in Madrid on February 21 and 26

MADRID, 18 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, will meet this Monday, February 19, with the autonomous communities to address the problems that currently affect the Spanish countryside, within the framework of the protests of farmers, ranchers and transporters who are carrying taking place for more than a week in Spain and which will continue in the coming days.

Planas has stressed that, in addition to giving his opinion, he is going to “accept and listen” to the suggestions made by his regional counterparts regarding what the Government is going to defend on February 26, at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Agriculture of the European Union in Brussels.

“We are going to talk about these issues – of the countryside -, I am going to accept and listen to your suggestions so that we can defend it in Brussels. I am also going to give my opinion, I am going to give you homework, because you have to do it,” he said. the head of Agriculture stood out.

Regarding the meeting in Brussels, the head of the branch stressed that, in addition to being a “great opportunity”, he knows that the European Commission (EC) is working internally on Spain’s proposals and contributions.

Planas has stressed that there are many measures that depend on dialogue with the autonomous communities, and others on negotiation with Brussels and other European countries “because they also directly affect the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).”

Planas recalled the concerns of Spanish farmers and ranchers, among which are prices, bureaucracy in the processing of aid and also some imports, while ensuring that the Government “is trying to give an answer to all of this.” “, although he stated that “it is not easy, but he believes they will achieve it.” “I’m an optimist,” he recently stated.

For their part, the agricultural professional organizations announced this Thursday after the meeting with the Government that they will maintain the mobilizations, at least, until next February 26, the date on which COAG, Asaja and UPA have called for a mobilization in Madrid, coinciding with the meeting of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.

For its part, UniĆ³n de Uniones has also maintained its calendar of protests in Spain and the large tractor-trailer to arrive in Madrid that was scheduled for Wednesday, February 21 to protest the serious situation that the Spanish countryside is going through in front of the doors of the Ministry of Agriculture.