Spanish farmers block roads for second day

BARCELONA: Thousands of farmers used tractors to block roads across Spain for the second day running on Wednesday amid Europewide protests against cheaper imports and heavy regulation.

Farmers gathered at dawn on dozens of roads, snarling traffic, mainly in Andalusia in the south, the northeastern region of Catalonia and Navarra in the north, according to the Spanish General Directorate for Road Traffic.

Almost 1,000 tractors drove slowly to the centre of Spain’s second city Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, where they rallied in front of the headquarters of the regional government.

“Bureaucracy is suffocating us... you need to think more about documents and paperwork demanded by the administration than work on the ground,” 45-year-old protester Joan Maia Sala told AFP.

After meeting regional president Pere Aragones, some farmers said they intended to sleep on site and were determined to continue demonstrating.

Tractors were also used to block roads leading to the southern port of Malaga in Andalusia and the eastern port of Castellon, authorities said.

There were some tense moments between demonstrators and police, particularly in the southern city of Granada.

The interior ministry reported 12 arrests across the country.

Spain’s CETM goods transport association urged the authorities to take steps to prevent the sector from being held “hostage to the protests”.

“We understand” farmers, but “the big victims” were transport companies, it added in a statement.

Another transport sector federation, Fenadismer, said 80,000 lorries were affected by the blockades and estimated the financial impact at 120 million euros (US$129 million).