Farmers came to the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels with protests to get support against the background of tax increases, rising costs and cheap imports of agricultural products, as reports Reuters.
According to police estimates, almost a thousand tractors blocked the main thoroughfares of Brussels. Farmers pelted the European Parliament with eggs, lit a fire near the building and set off fireworks.
On one of the tractors, the protesters hung a banner with the inscription: "If you love the earth, support those who manage it."
Although the farm crisis is not officially included in the agenda of the EU summit, it is also being discussed. Arriving at the summit, the Prime Minister of Belgium, which presides over the European Union Alexander De Croo said that farmersʼ complaints should be discussed.
"They offer high quality products, we also need to make sure they can get the right price for the high quality products they provide," he noted.
At the same time, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar supported French President Emmanuel Macron, who opposed the signing of a trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries, another key demand of farmers.