Several roads in the country were closed at around 7:30 am due to the farmers’ protest, which mobilized hundreds of agricultural vehicles, a source from the National Republican Guard (GNR) told the Lusa agency.
“At the moment, in Guarda we have the A25 restricted to traffic with an emergency corridor, with concentrations of 200 tractors. In Portalegre, on the Caia border towards Portugal-Spain, we have a slow movement with conditioning of this road, with a concentration of 200 tractors”, said Captain João Lourenço, from GNR Public Relations.
The same source also said that in Santarém there is a concentration of 100 tractors in Golegã, with conditioning on the Chamusca bridge.
“In Beja, between Vila Verde and Ficalho, on Estrada Nacional 260, we have a concentration of around 45 tractors and four heavy vehicles”, he indicated.
The GNR is, according to captain João Lourenço, following the movement of Portuguese farmers, engaging in different aspects.
“We are patrolling where there is a crowd of people and vehicles in order to guarantee road safety, traffic flow, public order and tranquility, especially in these places where there is a concentration of people, guaranteeing alternative corridors on the main road axes”, he said .
According to the GNR, at around 07:30 there was no record of significant incidents of changes to public order, despite the traffic restrictions.
“We appeal to everyone taking part in this protest not to jeopardize people’s rights, in this case the right to mobility”, he said.
Farmers are today on the streets with their tractors, from the north to the south of the country, demanding the sector’s appreciation and fair conditions, as has happened in other parts of Europe.
The protest, an initiative of the Civil Farmers Movement, takes place one day after the Government announced a package worth more than 400 million euros, aimed at mitigating the impact caused by the drought and reinforcing the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC ).
The package covers, among others, production measures, worth 200 million euros, ensuring coverage of production losses and the creation of a credit line of 50 million euros, with zero interest rate.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the movement, farmers demand the right to adequate food, fair conditions and the appreciation of their activity.