As of: January 31, 2024, 7:02 p.m
By: Hanna von Prittwitz
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Gathering on the shoulder: Farmers parked their tractors yesterday near the Oberpfaffenhofen motorway entrance, checked by police officers.
© andrea jaksch
A 96: Peaceful blockades and little traffic jams
Oberpfaffenhofen/Inning
– Farmers across the country blocked motorway entrances with their tractors yesterday.
In the Starnberg district, the Oberpfaffenhofen and Inning junctions on the A 96 were affected.
The tractor drivers gathered under the instructions of police officers at the Oberpfaffenhofen junction, but mainly on a shoulder; the motorway entrances were only closed for a short time, even in Inning.
“Traffic was always able to flow,” said Andreas Ruch, head of the Gauting police, yesterday.
The farmers adhered to all agreements “and were very constructive”.
The reason for the protest was the budget debate that was taking place at the same time in the Bundestag.
The traffic light coalition wants to cut subsidies for agricultural diesel.
“So far, agricultural businesses have received part of the mineral oil tax back, as tractors and machines are mainly used in the fields and this is intended to maintain competitiveness with foreign countries,” the farmers’ association explained in a statement.
Politicians want to abolish this reimbursement.
“The federal budget should be filled with money from agriculture and we farmers will be left alone with the additional burdens,” Starnberg district chairman Georg Holzer criticizes the situation.
The Bavarian Farmers' Association and “Agriculture Connects Bavaria eV” took part in yesterday's protests; the blockades on the driveways lasted from 9 a.m. to around 2 p.m.
“Farmers have been protesting against additional burdens on local agriculture for weeks,” explained Holzer.
A large proportion of the population supports farmers, but the traffic lights are “stubborn”.
Holzer spoke of a “cry for help” because the government was putting the future of local agriculture at risk.
Farmers should be burdened with around one billion euros more per year through the abolition of the agricultural diesel rebate.
Although the vehicle tax exemption should be retained, the refund should be abolished by 2026.
The Herrsching police were not allowed to officially say anything about the actions in the district yesterday.
The Upper Bavaria North Police Headquarters said: “Due to the cooperation discussions held in advance with the organizers, there were only occasional minor traffic disruptions in the Upper Bavaria North Police Headquarters’ area of responsibility.
Ruch was also able to report an anecdote: “Shortly before the end of the meeting, a driver stopped and brought pizza to the farmers,” he said.
For him, it was a sign that many people would support the protests.