The protestors even handed out free fish to attract public sympathy for their plight. It was all started two weeks ago in France and closed a London highway last week spread to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and Ireland, and continued over the weekend. Strong protest in Spain and Portugal almost paralyzed the nations’ commercial fishing industries.
Reacting on the present situation the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, said last week that the European Union should cut some fuel taxes. It is true that in All Europe millions are feeling the pinch from rising food and fuel prices. The protestors passed out about 20 tonnes of free fish to win public support and that scuffles among the largely elderly people for the handouts.
According to the Irish fishermen they were angry about long-standing government subsidies to fishermen in France, Spain and other European competitors. They said that the subsidies put Irish fishermen at a disadvantage that has been made worse by rising fuel prices.
It is said that dozens of Belgian fishermen protested outside the EU headquarters in Brussels demanding help. The European Commission assured the farmers saying it wanted to be flexible to assist fishermen, but it did not offer subsidies or tax breaks. According to a Spanish government official Spain, France, Italy and Portugal would jointly propose an EU fund to help fishermen hit by the price rises.
