Catalan farmers end road protests
Farmers in the Ponent region have decided to lift the last road block that has been in place for five days. This cut, located on the A-2 near Tàrrega, has been lifted at noon today. The majority of the farmers who had demonstrated in Catalonia since Monday had already abandoned the protests last Thursday, after reaching agreements with the Generalitat. However, the farmers of Tàrrega decided to maintain the cut because they considered that their demands had not been fully met. Finally, they have decided to lift the cut at the time agreed with the police authorities, the Mossos d’Esquadra.
Lawsuits and agreements reached
During the protests, Catalan farmers had expressed a series of demands related to the situation of agriculture in the region. Among these demands were the name change of the department, the dismissal of a senior official from the Catalan Water Agency and an economic bonus for farmers affected by drought restrictions. Although some of these points were included in the agreements reached with the Generalitat, the farmers of Tàrrega considered that not all their demands had been taken into account, especially regarding the proliferation of rabbits.
Future actions and negotiations
Despite lifting the road block, the farmers have made it clear that if the negotiations with the Generalitat do not progress satisfactorily and the necessary requests for the sector are not met, new protest actions will be organized during next Holy Week. Catalan farmers have expressed their determination to continue fighting for their rights and for recognition of the difficulties they face in their daily work.
Road reopening and final celebration
Although the tractors are no longer on the highway, it will still take a few hours to fully reopen the road to traffic. Workers have been working since this morning to guarantee traffic safety, repairing damage caused by bonfires and replacing signs and posters affected by fire and smoke. Furthermore, during the last night of the protests, the farmers organized a concert as a token of gratitude for the patience of the people during the days of protest. Dozens of people joined the celebration, turning the access roundabout to the A-2 into an improvised dance floor.
