V4 Agricultural Chambers to Hold Joint Demonstration in Latvia and Lithuania
The agricultural chambers of the four Visegrad Group countries, along with their Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts, are joining forces to stage a demonstration on February 22. The purpose of this demonstration is to draw the public’s attention to the challenges they are facing, which are largely attributed to the unrestricted influx of Ukrainian grain and food products.
According to Balázs Győrffy, the head of the National Agricultural Chamber (NAK), the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has made little progress in recent years. In addition, European farmers have been labeled as “climate criminals”, with this designation officially enshrined in community law. Győrffy criticized the European Green Deal, a set of policy initiatives proposed by the European Commission, as an “unprofessional and unfounded diktat”. He also suggested that recent farmer demonstrations have prompted decision-makers to backtrack, possibly due to the upcoming EP elections.
Győrffy highlighted the adverse impact of the unrestricted influx of Ukrainian grain and food products, particularly poultry, eggs, and honey, on European farmers. He pointed out that this situation creates unfair competition and also bypasses strict EU regulations, to the detriment of both farmers and consumers. Speaking on public broadcaster Kossuth Radio, Győrffy emphasized that farmers across Europe are deeply frustrated and have reached their breaking point.
The agricultural sector’s discontent is palpable, with Győrffy lamenting that the Brussels elite continues to disregard their concerns and refuses to acknowledge their challenges. This sentiment has previously been expressed through protests by Hungarian farmers against unlimited Ukrainian agricultural imports, as well as the seizure of GMO-contaminated Ukrainian seed in Hungary.
The upcoming demonstration serves as a unified call for action, as agricultural chambers from multiple countries advocate for fair and balanced trade practices that prioritize the welfare of European farmers and consumers.
