Called by two unions, farmers block the bridge over the Adour River. The Basque government has closed the border to trucks on the AP-8, near Irun and towards Baiona.
Farmers from Iparralde and the French state have blocked their plans tractors and heavy vehicles one of the bridges of the A-63aware of Bayonnecausing a major traffic jam on the main connecting road between Iparralde and Hegoalde. Moreover, they plan to maintain the blockade until Friday.
Gathered by the FDSEA (departmental federation of the farmers’ union) and JA (young farmers) unions, the farmers are demanding the attention of the French government in the face of a sector “on the verge of extinction”. They demand higher salaries and warn about the possible effects of the measures being negotiated at European level. They fear, among other things, the possible side effects of the new obligations in the field of the ecological transition.
Faced with this situation, the Transport Directorate of the Basque Government has taken action closure to truck traffic of the toll AP-8in Irun (Gipuzkoa) and towards Baiona.
Earlier, the Spanish government’s delegation to the Basque Autonomous Community (CAV) had warned of the collapse, stressing that the Basque authorities had already been duly notified to take appropriate measures.
The situation is forecast to last all day long lines of trucks and cars were stuck on the highway. During the morning they came to register 20 kilometers delay.
The Prefecture of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques has asked to avoid the A-63 and has introduced several detours:
The protests took place in other parts of the French state. In Occitania, a farmer and her 13-year-old daughter were run over and killed in Pamiers (Ariege department). A vehicle heading to Andorra drove onto a closed national road and crashed into a “wall” of straw bales behind which a group of people were resting. A woman affiliated with the FNSEA union was killed instantly and her daughter and husband were seriously injured. The minor died shortly afterwards.
Recommendations from the Ertzaintza regarding the closures in Biriatu
Due to the periodic disruptions that may occur at the border crossing to France on the AP-8 highway, the Ertzaintza advises users to inform themselves and find alternative routes, avoiding the use of this road.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
