As of: February 27, 2024, 1:55 p.m
Comments
Press
Split
On the sidelines of Chancellor Scholz's visit, farmers from the region are demonstrating against the current federal government.
© Christoph Schmidt/dpa
A new district for thousands of people is to be created in Freiburg.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz came to the groundbreaking ceremony - and hundreds of farmers who protested loudly.
Freiburg/Emmendingen - During a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Freiburg, hundreds of farmers protested against the agricultural policy of the traffic light coalition.
During a speech by the SPD politician at the groundbreaking ceremony for a large new development district in the university town, the farmers drew attention from hundreds of meters away with loud whistles, screams and a concert of honking.
In advance, the farmers arrived in Freiburg with around 240 tractors after a rally.
According to police, the situation was calm.
According to information from the city and farmers, the tractors from Bötzingen, Neuenburg, Elzach and Hinterzarten made their way to the assembly area at a farm.
The Baden Agricultural Association (BLHV) had announced in advance that a delegation of farmers actually wanted to exchange ideas with the Chancellor.
The farmers wanted to hand the Chancellor a catalog of nine demands.
Among other things, the farmers want a stop to the conversion of agricultural land into settlement and traffic areas, an abolition of all taxes on biodiesel and an end to the mandatory closure of agricultural land.
Because of the tight schedule, this was not possible, said a BLHV spokesman in a video message.
“We had no chance to talk to the Chancellor here.
Unfortunately, our delegation was also unable to obtain the demand paper.” This was a disappointment for the participants, the spokesman continued.
For security reasons, the farmers had to hold their demonstration hundreds of meters away from Scholz.
The farmers were disappointed about this: “It is sad that politicians and the police have so many concerns, even if we have not committed any wrongdoing so far,” said Michael Fröhlin from the BLHV Müllheim district association at the rally.
The protest signs that were attached to many tractors read: “If the farmer is ruined, your food will be imported!” and “It's not just about diesel.
It’s about all of our futures.”
Markus Ehret, a farmer from Freiburg-St.Georgen, said: “We want to be heard, we want to be seen, we hope for a rethink.
It remains to be seen whether such a protest will have any effect.”
16,000 people will live in the planned Dietenbach district.
In order to curb the housing shortage in Germany, Scholz believes such new urban districts must be built.
However, there is resistance to huge projects in the west of Freiburg.
“Municipalities need further support and more money for affordable housing,” said Mayor Martin Horn.
Farmers complain about the loss of agricultural land due to the construction of the district.
Conservationists criticize that deforestation destroys the habitat of animal species worthy of protection.
Florian Schneider, on the BLHV district board of Freiburg, said: “We want to make it clear to the population that land is limited.” For such a new building district, a lot of compensation area would be lost to agriculture.
For security reasons, the area was cordoned off and aircraft were temporarily not allowed to fly over it.
The police did not provide any information on how many emergency services accompanied Scholz's visit.
However, a spokeswoman said: “We are prepared for this operation.” There had been cooperation discussions with those involved in advance.
Farmers in Germany have been protesting against the federal government's policies for weeks.
The focus is primarily on the planned subsidy cuts for agricultural diesel.
On Ash Wednesday, a protest in Biberach an der Riß got so bad that the Greens canceled their political Ash Wednesday event at short notice.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir and the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann (both Greens) were expected there, among others.
My news
Verdi is once again paralyzing public transport in Stuttgart: What commuters need to know read
One of the most famous “lost places” in Germany is located in Baden-Württemberg
This region in Baden-Württemberg is not affected by the rail strikeread
2 hours ago
Stuttgart 21: Mockery and malice for “Experience the Construction Site Live” in online reading
Porsche presents new high-tech location in Baden-Württemberglesen
Innovation in Europa-Park: Renovation at the entrance is intended to relieve the burden of ticket checks
Following the groundbreaking ceremony, Scholz wanted to find out more about the research there at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.
In the early afternoon, during a visit to SC Freiburg's Europa Park stadium, he will talk to socially committed citizens behind closed doors about democracy and cohesion.
The head of government is expected in nearby Emmendingen at around 4:30 p.m., where he wants to look at the German diary archive.
Afterwards, at the invitation of the local SPD member of the Bundestag Johannes Fechner, an hour-long conversation with citizens is planned under the motto “Ask the Chancellor”.
dpa