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Belgian agriculture, transport sectors protest price rises |
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10:07, June 19, 2008 |
Belgian farmers, truck drivers and taxi drivers Wednesday protested in Brussels against the rise in the prices of fuel and other daily necessities.
They demanded that the Belgian government introduce measures to help alleviate the pressure on the transport and farming sectors caused by the steep rise in the prices of commodities.
Farmers from the southern Belgian region of Wallonia drove some300 tractors to the Cinquantenaire Park on the edge of the European quarter in uptown Brussels.
An official of the Walloon farmers' organization said that Belgian farmers are no longer making a profit because of the surging prices of fuel and production materials.
Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme told the rallying farmers that the Belgian government will try to help them by means of a taxation policy, increasing investment in agricultural research and improving transparency in setting prices for agricultural produce.
But he emphasized that the assistance from the government would be "very limited."
Meanwhile, about 150 taxis and dozens of trucks were driven to other parts of Brussels in protest against the high prices. Thanks to the precautionary measures of the police, the protests did not cause major disruption of traffic.
Truck and taxi drivers drove in a convoy along the inner ring road of the Belgian capital.
Belgian media reported that some 800 police officers were mobilized to keep an eye on the traffic.
Source:Xinhua
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