Angry farmers back to Brussels to escalate protests ahead of European agriculture ministers’ meeting

By Ata Ufuk Seker

BRUSSELS (AA) – Angry farmers returned to Brussels on Monday to escalate protests ahead of today’s European agriculture ministers’ meeting.

Hundreds of farmers rallied around the buildings of the EU Commission and European Council in Brussels, protesting the rising production costs, insufficient subsidies, import of agricultural goods at cheaper prices and rigid environmental regulations.

The farmers, with some 300 tractors, also blocked the traffic on the main roads in and around the city and set fire to the hay bales and used tires when they met the police barricade in front of the building where the ministers will meet this afternoon.

They were responded with police vehicles using water sprays.