German farmers shake the nation: protests over subsidy cuts crippling border traffic
The German government, looking to save taxpayer money for 2024, has implemented a series of cuts including reductions in farmer subsidies. This move has sparked widespread outrage. Previously announced road and highway blockades in Germany began on Monday, with German media reporting that the country is in a state of paralysis.
10:52 AM EST, January 9, 2024
Farmers in Germany launched a week of protests on the morning of January 8. They aim to blockade major roads throughout this period, and tractors have been gathering in selected areas since Sunday night.
German farmers protest
On Tuesday morning, farmers held protests at the border with the Czech Republic. "Traffic was halted at the Boží Dar/Oberwiesenthal and Potůčky/Johanngeorgenstadt crossings. The road was, however, reopened after 1:30 AM ET," according to a report in the České noviny newspaper. Bavarian television station BR24 also reported minor issues at the Philippsreut/Strážný border crossing.
The Czech media has additionally reported that the primary traffic route at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin remains closed. Access to the A72 highway in Saxony, between Leipzig and Saxony Kamianets, is blocked. Similarly, there are closures on A4 from Saxony Kamianets to Erfurt.
The "Sächsische Zeitung" newspaper noted protests in Wiesenbad, Annaberg-Buchholz, and Bärenstein in the Giants Mountains. "Two border crossings between the Czech Republic and Saxony were briefly blocked," according to Bavarian television station BR24. A convoy of around twenty tractors headed towards the Philippsreut/Strážný border crossing. Other protests are ongoing in places such as Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, as reported by the České noviny.
