On the eve of a new cycle of farmers’ mobilization, the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, warned, on Sunday, November 17 on RTL, that “If there is a lasting blockade, there will be zero tolerance”. The tenant of Place Beauvau, who received the agricultural union leaders this week, informed them, he explained, of “three limits” : “no damage to property, no damage to people, no entrenchment, no lasting blockage”. Otherwise, “We will not hesitate to mobilize mobile forces”he added.
Asked about the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, Bruno Retailleau declared that he was ” Of course “ possible not to sign it. According to him, France, which opposes this agreement, “is completely wrong in terms of economic approaches” in the agricultural sector.
The minister also highlighted the “internal bureaucratization” AND “liberation with all the wind outside”. Claiming to be in favor of “ fair and balanced competitionBruno Retailleau also estimated that French farmers were suffering too much “limitations”.
The minister also said that it made the difference between the mobilization of farmers “who cannot live from their work”and the railway workers – whose unions call for an indefinite strike starting December 11 – who “Regularly taking French workers hostage”whose “greviculture”. “There is a double standard”he insisted.
Don’t “spoil” the end of the year celebrations
At the same time, Arnaud Rousseau, president of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA), the main agricultural union, was invited to BFM-TV. He announced that “82 actions” They were scheduled from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday.
“There will be no blockades”assured, specifying however that traffic on the N118 (between Sèvres and Ile-de-France) will probably be “slow motion” Sunday afternoon. “We do not want to block the French, but rather call them to be witnesses”the representative explained. According to Arnaud Rousseau, the movement will continue “until mid-December at the latest” not to ” spoil “ the end of year celebrations.
On Friday, the government attempted to reassure struggling farmers. “I will do everything I can” AND “All the promises made to the farmers who demonstrated at the beginning of the year will be respected”assured the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, on the sidelines of the Assises des Départements in Angers.
The head of Government reiterated his opposition to the agreement between the EU and Mercosur, while Emmanuel Macron plans to speak out this weekend in Latin America against the possible upcoming signing of this treaty, especially feared by French farmers.
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The Ministry of Agriculture, for its part, clarified the conditions of the subsidized loans, an urgent request from union organizations that welcomed these measures and demanded their implementation. “urgent”. Two programs will be implemented in the form of loans distributed by banks that wish to participate, the ministry reported in a press release.
