French farmers attack, destroy two Romanian meat trucks
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According to the truck drivers, protesting farmers stopped the trucks, vandalized them, and destroyed the transported goods.
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A farmer drives his tractor on a highway, near Agen, southwestern France, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024 (AP)
Amid a growing wave of nationwide industry protests, French farmers on Saturday attacked and destroyed two trucks carrying meat from Romania, spokesperson for the Romanian Foreign Ministry Radu Filip said.
"The Romanian Embassy and Consulate General in Paris urgently contacted the legal representative of Avicarvil company in Romania to obtain additional information regarding the incident that occurred on January 24 in the Drome department in France.
According to the drivers, this has resulted in that two trucks transporting the company's goods were stopped by a group of protesting farmers; they were vandalized, and the transported goods were destroyed," Filip told the Antena 3 broadcaster.
He noted that Romanian diplomats reached out to local law enforcement and informed French authorities about the incident. Representatives from the Romanian consulate requested relevant documents to facilitate the resolution of the incident between the affected company and the insurance provider.
Read more: French farmers protest en masse against government policies
On Friday, the French National Federation of Agricultural Unions (FNSEA) reported that more than 72,000 farmers mobilized in mass protests, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's agricultural policies. Over 41,000 tractors were part of the large-scale demonstrations that occurred throughout the country. FNSEA President Arnaud Rousseau had earlier warned that the protests would escalate, reaching 85 of the 96 departments in metropolitan France by Friday.
Since Thursday, farmers have been blocking highways and depositing manure and waste in front of government buildings nationwide. Yesterday, BFMTV reported that farmers, mounted on tractors, strategically blocked traffic on crucial highways leading to the capital, Paris, creating widespread traffic jams and heightened tensions across affected regions.
Macron a demandé aux préfets d'aller à la rencontre des agriculteurs en colère dès ce week-end.
— Renard Jean-Michel (@Renardpaty) January 20, 2024
Des fermiers bloquent des routes en France.
D'après France Bleu Occitanie, plusieurs centaines d'agriculteurs bloquent l'autoroute A64 au sud de Toulouse depuis jeudi.
—> pic.twitter.com/LyRVagZWze
The farmers are opposing the government's agricultural policies, citing concerns that these measures render their products economically uncompetitive. Specific grievances include opposition to imported agricultural products, limitations on water usage for irrigation, rising diesel fuel costs, and restrictive environmental protection measures, all contributing to an increasing financial burden.
