At the initiative of the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce and the farmers' cooperative KEVILI, a coordinated action will take place on Thursday, during which agricultural producers will gather with tractors on ring roads and major traffic junctions in larger cities.

According to the organizers, the action is intended to send a signal about the importance of Estonian agriculture and the need to ensure equal competitive conditions for Estonian producers within the European Union. The demonstration is also supported by the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Minister Hendrik Johannes Terras said.

"We made this decision when the demonstration was announced. The concern is serious. If people come to the capital with tractors alongside their main work, then we must certainly listen to what they have to say," Terras said.

The action comes at a time when the European Union is discussing priorities for the next budget period and the income gap in European agriculture has increasingly come to the fore. At the center of the protest is primarily the €546 million support allocated by the European Commission, which is intended to reduce this gap. However, demonstrators say there is no certainty that this money will reach Estonia's agricultural sector.

The distribution of the support will be decided by the government, including Minister Terras. He does not see a contradiction in participating in what might appear to be a protest against the government.

"In the government, my proposal is that what the Commission has allocated to the food sector must go there. Farmers are carrying the same message at Thursday's demonstration; in my view, this is consistent," the agriculture minister said.

In Estonia, it is generally uncommon for ministers to support and participate in sector-specific demonstrations in this way. ERR has received expressions of surprise and questions regarding both the ministry's support and the minister's participation. Andres Oopkaup, chairman of the supervisory board of the farmers' cooperative KEVILI, does not find this unusual.

"My explanation is that all ministries essentially go to the Ministry of Finance to request funding for their proposals. The regional minister is in the same position of asking as the farmers," Oopkaup said.

Responding to questions about a potential conflict of interest and sitting on both sides of the table, he recalled his past work as an official in the Ministry of Agriculture.

"I have encountered a situation where Estonia's agriculture minister told the French agriculture minister how difficult his life was because farmers were constantly striking. The French minister replied quite briefly that he had invited them himself. No further explanation was needed for me at that moment," Oopkaup said.

The reason there is concern over the €500 million-plus support is that the European Union has given member states considerable discretion in how the funds are used.

"The new period has been changed so that whereas previously the entire agricultural budget was separate, it has now been merged," Terras explained. "Part of this was added to the food sector to bring support levels in line with the European average. The €546 million was identified by the Commission as intended for the food sector, but no legal restrictions were imposed. In other words, the state was given the option to decide, but in discussions with commissioners it has been clear that the aim is to equalize support in the food sector."

Timo Varblas, head of the Estonian Farmers' Central Union, emphasized in a press release that farmers do not need aid, but rather certainty and clear decisions showing that ensuring food security is also a government priority.

The government will discuss the use of the farmers' support in August alongside planning the state budget.

The protest

As part of the action, agricultural producers with tractors will gather in several regions across Estonia, including Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Rakvere, Viljandi, Jõhvi, Jõgeva, Kuressaare, Räpina, Valga and Võru. Between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., tractors will move slowly on or near ring roads.

According to the organizers, the guiding principle is that traffic will not be blocked and public transport or emergency vehicles will not be obstructed.

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