Farmers across Romania on Friday protested against the European Commission’s compensation package designed to iron out imbalances caused by the influx of cheap grain from Ukraine.
Protesters drove hundreds of vehicles and agricultural machinery through the capital and 18 counties to demonstrate against recent reparations proposed by the European Commission for the financial losses caused by the tax-free import of cereals from Ukraine
Farmers are angry over the scrapping of customs duties for Ukrainian grain which started last year after Russia’s invasion.
Logistical bottlenecks made it so large quantities of Ukrainian grain, which are cheaper than those produced in the EU, including Romania are pricing them out of the market.
Farmers want the EU to cancel the scheme, arguing it is damaging the Romanian market.
Farmers in other EU member states have also expressed their dissatisfaction.
The European Commission announced last week that it will prepare a second compensation package worth 75 million euros for European farmers.
Romanian farmers say it isn’t enough and they have lost and estimated 200 million euros.
Last month the European Commission granted a 56.3 million euro package to farmers in Bulgaria, Poland and Romania.
Following pressure from the three countries, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, agreed to increase the amounts and grant a second compensatory package.
