site.btaOver 10,000 EU Farmers, Including Bulgarians, Rally in Brussels

More than 10,000 farmers from all 27 EU Member States gathered in Brussels on Thursday for a peaceful rally organized by Copa-Cogeca, Europe’s largest agricultural organization, the Bulgarian Farmers Union reported. Bulgarian farmers also took part in the protest.

According to Copa-Cogeca, this was the largest coordinated demonstration by European farmers in Brussels in nearly 30 years. For the first time, agricultural producers from all Member States delivered a joint message that the main challenges facing the sector are similar across the EU and require urgent solutions.

The protesters set out three key demands. The first is to maintain a strong, common and adequately funded Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, supported by a Multiannual Financial Framework that guarantees the competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture. The second demand is for a fair and transparent trade policy that protects European production standards and sensitive sectors, while at the same time improving farmers’ competitiveness. The third demand is for genuine simplification of rules, better regulation and greater legal certainty for the sector.

Copa-Cogeca’s leadership presented the protesters’ demands to European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen. The same messages are expected to be reiterated later in meetings with Commissioners Maros Sefcovic (Trade and Economic Security), Piotr Serafin (Budget) and Jessika Roswall (Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy).

The protest took place on the day the European Council was discussing the future Multiannual Financial Framework.

Bulgarian participation in the protest

Bulgarian farmers also joined the protest, the National Grain Producers Association (NGPA) announced earlier on Thursday. The association streamed footage from the demonstration on its Facebook page throughout the day.

Addressing the large crowd from the stage, Iliya Prodanov, NGPA Chair and President of the Bulgarian Agrarian Chamber, said: “We are all together to say ‘no’ to the European Commission’s policies, ‘no’ to this hypocrisy. We do not want MERCOSUR, we do not want a single fund. We want stability for our farms, we want to survive, we want our children’s future to be secure. We want to produce. Because without farmers, there is no future for Europe.”

Earlier in the day, Prodanov wrote on his personal Facebook profile that the Bulgarian delegation at the protest comprised 75 farmers from various sectors.