Prague - Thousands of farmers gathered Thursday morning in front of Prague's Agriculture Ministry to protest against the double standard of EU agriculture subsidy policies.
Farmers from Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Lithuania joined their Czech counterparts in the protest against the unequal treatment they receive from the EU compared to those of their "colleagues" in the older EU member states.
Their Austrian and Germany joined the protest in support of their eastern "colleagues".
President's support
The protesters launch their march in Prague-Těšňov where the Agriculture Ministry is seated and continued marching towards the Wenceslas Square.
There they gave away leaflets saying Czech products are of better quality. They also handed over dairy products to people by and symbolically poured away milk.
"There will be no dairy cattle soon. Blame the different treatment of us [new EU member states' farmers] and of the old EU-15 states," Agrarian Chamber president Jan Veleba said, heading today's strike.
"Before the conditions are streamlined we are proposing to halt the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. We have the support of the Czech president," added Veleba.
Among the worst hit are dairy farmers who struggle because of the extremely low milk prices.
"I will not lie"
The Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovič took time to address the disgruntled farmers.
"I would like to have equal treatment for you too but you should have held a demonstration here five years ago when my predecessors were negotiating the conditions," he said to the farmers.
"We will have to live with them as long as they are in force," he added which triggered loud whistling.
"Your representatives do not tell the truth and I will not lie. The conditions are still in force and we cannot do anything about them but discuss the new ones that will be enforced in 2013," he said.
"The common EU policy cannot be called common any more, since it does not treat all the people in the same way," Lithuanian Agrarian Chamber head Bronijus Marjauskas said. "We need to change the system of direct payments."
Slovak member of European Parliament Petr Baco suggested the EU adopt a crisis measure - install a common price of 40 eurocents for a liter of milk.
EU Commissioner for Agriculture Mariann Fischer-Boel who is presently in town met the protesters. Jan Veleba and Petr Gandalovič held a brief meeting with her.
