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Spanish and French farmers obstruct border days before EU election

Spanish and French farmers blocked roads along the border through the Pyrenees mountains on Monday ahead of European Parliament elections to protest versus what they state is unreasonable competitors from outside the European Union.

Previously this year, farmers blocked roadways for weeks in countries across the EU, stating they faced rising expenses and taxes, red tape, excessive ecological guidelines and unreasonable competition from low-cost food imports.

With EU elections looming on June 6-9, French and Spanish farmers utilized lots of tractors to obstruct both sides of the verge on the AP-8 highway in the Basque Nation and the AP-7 highway in Catalonia.

Because we have European elections, let's see if our political leaders take the sector seriously and listen to our demands, Spanish farmer Josep Juscafrase, 54, told .

Weeks of farmer protests compelled the EU in May to extend subsidy allowances by 6 months to support the 27-nation bloc's. agricultural sector.

The EU also watered down parts of its flagship Green Offer. environmental policies, getting rid of an objective to cut farming emissions. from its 2040 climate roadmap.

It is necessary (to hold the protest) because in France,. farming is hard. It's been disregarded for around twenty years or. even longer. And we feed individuals, you understand, French farmer. Sylvain Fourriques, 39, said.

At the Catalan border with France, farmers played soccer and. cooked paellas while obstructing crossings, developing long lines of. vehicles and trucks.

While thousands of truck motorists remain obstructed on lots of. roadways without having the ability to get out and even consume ..., farmers. calmly prepare to eat a good paella. And where are the authorities?. Spanish transport association Fenadismer, which approximates 20,000. trucks cross the border with France every day, stated on X.

The European Parliament election starts on Thursday,. although most countries will cast their ballots on Sunday.

(source: Reuters)