Traffic obstructions due to farmers' protests continue

Farmers' protests against the federal government's austerity plans continue to restrict traffic in Saxony. The police in Chemnitz announced on Tuesday morning that traffic disruptions could not be ruled out on the second day of the protests. The police will also secure the gatherings on this day and carry out appropriate traffic safety measures.

According to the information, farmers have been occupying the slip roads at the Stollberg-Nord and Stollberg-West junctions on freeway 72 since around 5 a.m. Participants are also currently gathering at some junctions on federal and state roads in the Ore Mountains. In Thalheim, for example, traffic is being slowed down by several vehicles at the Chemnitzer Straße/Nordstraße junction. There are also gatherings in Zwönitz, Brünlos, Thermalbad Wiesenbad, Annaberg-Buchholz and Bärenstein that are affecting the flow of traffic.

In response to farmers' protests, the federal government announced on Thursday that it would withdraw some of the planned subsidy cuts. The traffic light coalition wants to abandon the abolition of the motor vehicle tax exemption for agriculture. The aim is to avoid a considerable bureaucratic burden for the companies concerned. The abolition of tax concessions for agricultural diesel is to be spread out and implemented in several stages over the coming years. However, the German Farmers' Association considers the measures to be insufficient. The cuts to agricultural diesel should also be taken off the table.