One of the main groups of protesting Italian farmers said Thursday they would unleash their tractors to roam freely on the streets of Rome Saturday unless FarmMinister Francesco Lollobrigida agreed to see them about their grievances.
The group, Agricultural Redemption, which has already agreed with Rome officials to hold a tractor parade in Piazza SanGiovanni Friday, said they would leave their vehicles roam across the whole city unless Lollobrigida set up a meeting.
"If we don't get answers our tractors will leave the garrison (on the capital's outskirts) and go free around Rome," said Andrea Papa, one of the leaders of Agricultural Redemption, speaking of an "ultimatum" to the ministry of agriculture.
"We want a meeting with the minister but so far no one has contacted us," said Papa.
"Tomorrow's demonstration in San Giovanni is the only positive result of these days and tomorrow morning our ten tractors will move from the garrison escorted by the police.
"But if the minister does not respond to the ultimatum that expires on Saturday at 12 noon, the tractors will go free around the city".
The biggest protest group, Farmers Betrayed, said Wednesday that a planned tractor parade around Rome some time next week would involve thousands of vehicles and could see them roaming around the historic Circus Maximus.
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