IMF warns that European governments may regret supporting protesting farmers
Kyiv • UNN
The IMF Managing Director said that European governments should be more resistant to demands to increase financial support for protesting farmers.
European governments should be more active in resisting calls for increased financial support for farmers who are staging protests. This was stated by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva during a press briefing at the International Monetary Fund office, reports France24, UNN .
Details
She explained that she understands the sentiments of farmers, who are finding it increasingly difficult to do business in the current environment.
You see farmers protesting. On a human level, I understand that they are facing more difficulties and it is not easy for them to do the work that they do
At the same time, she called on European officials to take action, as the situation could be much worse in the future.
But if such sentiment continues and pushes governments into a corner where they are unable to do what is necessary to (strengthen) the economy, then there may be days to regret
Addendum
The publication adds that French President Emmanuel Macron recently met with the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, where the parties discussed the "future of European agriculture"
During their negotiations, thousands of farmers from all over Europe protested in Brussels.
After the summit, Macron told reporters that France had succeeded in convincing the EU to "impose stricter rules" on grain and poultry imports, particularly from Ukraine.
Georgieva called on governments around the world to work to restore fiscal buffers depleted by the COVID-19 pandemic by closing tax loopholes and assessing the quality of existing public spending.
I have talked to many politicians, especially finance ministers, and they recognize the importance of fiscal consolidation
Context
In recent weeks, demonstrations by farmers blocking roads with tractors have taken place across Italy. Although the protests are smaller in scale than similar actions in France, Romania or Poland.
The main reasons for the protest are rising fuel prices, losses from bad weather or plant diseases that have never been compensated (or only partially compensated), competition from non-European countries, and the demand to abandon synthetic food and insect-based products.
