Thousands of Czech farmers protest against EU agricultural policy

Several thousand Czech farmers gathered at border crossings and in major cities to demand changes to the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy.
They joined farmers from other European countries - including Poland, France, Spain and Greece - who dumped produce and blocked roads in pursuit of unmet demands in recent weeks.
"Around 3,000 tractors took to the streets," the Czech Chamber of Agriculture said in a statement on the national protests.
Farmers gathered at border crossings with Slovakia and Poland, using tractors and farm machinery to jam roads and block traffic.
Their demands include ending restrictions on agricultural production, cutting red tape for agriculture and introducing changes to EU-Ukraine agreements on agricultural imports.
Across Europe, farmers believe competition from Ukrainian products has hit their profits.
Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny said he "understands" the protesting farmers, AFP reported.
"I am also worried about the unnecessary bureaucracy and some of the unrealistic demands that the EU places on our farmers," Viborny wrote on the social network X.
The European Commission has made several concessions in recent weeks after farmers across Europe blamed the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU's upcoming "Green Deal" for their problems. /BГNES