2024-02-03 18:09:49
After a week marked by demonstrations in the agricultural sector and blockages, tension dropped a notch at the end of the week without falling completely. While some have been lifted, the blockages on large-scale distribution stores continue, and farmers continue to take action.
The Belgian-Dutch border liberated in Mol
The last farmers who blocked the passage between Mol and the Netherlands, on the A67, put an end to their action on Saturday shortly before 6 p.m., indicated the federal police and the Flemish traffic center.
The passage on the Dutch side had already been released earlier in the followingnoon. The blockade began on Thursday.
Civil protection is clearing the road. Traffic should resume normally around 7 p.m.
End of blockages at Delhaize in Ninove and Zellik, but also in Zemst
Actions to block Delhaize’s Ninove and Zellik distribution centers have ended, a spokesperson for the brand said on Saturday. The activity of delivery trucks will resume as soon as possible, assures the spokesperson. However, it will still be some time before store shelves can be completely restocked.
In Zemst, the blockade of the Aldi distribution center has ended, the brand said. However, action by farmers is still underway in Turnhout.
The activists decided to lift their device following a dialogue with the supermarket chain. They claimed that Aldi “plays a facilitator role during upcoming discussions with the sectoral federation“, specifies a spokesperson for the brand.
Store shelves will still take some time to be restocked. The situation varies from region to region, says Aldi.
Villers-le-Bouillet, Marche-en-Famenne, Gosselies
Things are still stuck in front of the Aldi depots in Zemst and Turnhout. In the province of Luxembourg, in Marche-en-Famenne, only one truck per hour is authorized to leave the Lidl depot, and only if it has Belgian products. Marc Floymont, farmer in Havelange, participates in the blockade. He warns : “The movement is not stopping. There are a few centers where there is a one-day slump, but we were guaranteed that it would restart on Monday morning. There is a meeting planned with Comeos on Thursday. If we do not have positive results on Thursday, we will further tighten the movement.“
The Intermarché depot in Villers-Le-Bouillet and the Mestdagh depot in Gosselies are still blocked, an Intermarché spokesperson also indicated.
Dams lifted at Colruyt depots
The farmers stationed since Monday morning in front of the Aldi depot in Villeroux left the premises on Friday evening, the mayor of Vaux-sur-Sûre, Yves Besseling, told Belga, confirming information from L’Avenir du Luxembourg. The demonstrators received a visit on Friday morning from a bailiff mandated by the Aldi group asking them to free access to the warehouse, which they have been blocking since Sunday evening, under penalty of financial sanctions. According to farmers on site on Friday, the bailiff showed up once more in the evening to inform them of the obligation to lift the blockade within an hour and a half.
The farmers who blocked the Colruyt depots in Hal, Ghislenghien (Ath) and Olllignies (Lessines) decided to raise their pickets on Friday around 4:30 p.m. They were able to meet four members of the management committee. The initiative came from Colruyt following the observation that farmers had not yet obtained anything concrete from the political side.
Stefan Goethaert, CEO of Colruyt Group, says he understands the anger but believes that farmers are targeting the wrong target. According to him, Colruyt focuses above all on local products. The CEO denies pushing prices down, while specifying that a margin is needed to maintain distribution. For excesses, he refers to large industrialists. Stefan Goethaert also rejects accusations of land grabbing. Colruyt only owns 570 hectares in Belgium and only to test rare crops here, he specifies. According to him, the objective is not to speculate or “doing agriculture instead of farmers“. Farmers to whom he reaches out to collaborate.
Two blockages on the roads
Two blockages are also still in progress on Saturday on Walloon roads, in the provinces of Hainaut and Luxembourg, reports the Perex center (SPW Mobility and Infrastructure).
The blockage near Bouillon on the N89 is still maintained in the province of Luxembourg. While in the province of Hainaut, a blockage is in progress near Feluy, on the N534, according to the Perex center.
Port de Zeebrugge
Friday evening, the blockades at the port of Zeebrugge were lifted. The thousands of stranded trucks have left, local police in Bruges said on Saturday. After the farmers’ blockade was lifted, the evacuation plan was implemented to allow trucks to leave the West Flanders municipality. The approximately 2,000 stranded trucks were then able to enter and leave the port. Police reinforcements were sent to ensure that the situation unfolded properly. Drivers who have to cover the weekend were able to park in the car park at Ostend airport, where around a hundred heavy goods vehicles are still located at present. A few people are also waiting in the Brexit parking lot in Zeebrugge. However, the situation has generally returned to normal in Zeebrugge. In the meantime, the Bruges police reduced their intervention and the additional deployment that had been planned was canceled. The provincial governor confirmed that the provincial emergency plan remains in place until Sunday evening in case any problems arise.
Mechelen
Actions by farmers also caused traffic congestion near Mechelen on Friday evening, reports the Flemish Mobility Center (Vlaams Verkeerscentrum). On board their tractors, they left the Mechelen ring road (R12) to join the N16. They obstruct the passage from the E19 towards the center of the city.
Dutch farmers who have been blocking the passage since Thursday between Postel (Mol) and Eersel (Netherlands), on the A67, have for their part put an end to their action. Traffic on the E34 is, however, still disrupted by their Belgian counterparts, the Flemish traffic center indicated on Saturday.
The wishes of the N-VA disrupted
Around 200 farmers also showed up at the N-VA New Year’s reception in Herentals. The guest of honor, Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon, quickly spoke with a delegation of farmers from Kempen, confirms the local police. According to Gazet Van Antwerpen, Mr. Jambon responded to the delegation’s arguments and assured that the dialogue would continue. The police confirm that the demonstrators from the agricultural sector dispersed around 11:00 p.m. and left the center of Herentals.
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