Farmer's protests across Europe – from Poland to Hungary, Spain, and Belgium – have been sparked by new EU measures and rising prices. The farmers' reasons differ across regions, with Hungarian farmers' ire being stoked by right-wing PM Orban. The Hungarian PM spoke out against EU environmental regulations and their recent decision to contribute €50 billion in aid to Ukraine. Orban had blocked this decision in December, but in the face of the uncertain fate of America's aid package of $60 billion, has finally relented. However, the money comes from the EU's central budget, which is also responsible for subsidising farmers and offsetting the price of greening Europe. In Poland, lines of tractors blocked the roads in 256 places, while protestors in Poznan and Bydgoszcz lit flares and set alight an EU flag. The tension between Poland and the EU is nothing new – just last year, the EU froze €60 billion of stimulus funds for the Poland due to their declining democratic norms. Specifically, Poland's decision to create a fake Supreme Court, rigged to decide in the ruling party's favor. Poland receives by far the greatest portion of EU funds, with subsidies amounting to almost €12 billion in 2021, nearly triple those received by Greece and Hungary. The EU has since unlocked some portions of the aid, with Poland €5.5 billion in December of last year. |