After the Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon (nationalist) called on farmers to lift their remaining blockades in Flanders on Thursday evening following the agreement reached between their representatives and the Flemish Government, the farmers that had been blocking access to the Port of Ghent returned home on Friday morning. The North Sea Port, of which Ghent is a part reports that all the farmers’ blockades have been lifted. Zelzate Bridge, where a dozen tractors had been parked, preventing the bridge from being lifted to allow ships to pass has been cleared. Meanwhile, Walloon farmers are continuing their action with blockades in Liège Province.
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Blockades lifted in Flanders, new blockades in Wallonia
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Flemish farmers started blocking roads in East and West Flanders on Thursday morning. The so-called “filter blockades”, whereby cars and bicycles were allowed to pass, but lorries bound for the Port of Ghent were only allowed through occasionally and often after a long wait were designed to put pressure on the Flemish Government during the talks with farmers’ representatives that took place on Thursday.
The blockades not only caused disruption to shipping, but also resulted in long tailbacks on the Ghent orbital motorway.
Early on Friday morning, the farmers that had been blocking the roundabouts near the Euro-Silo site and ArcelorMittal plant had already left. Later their colleagues at the port of Ghent also lifted their blockades.
Farmers' blockades in Wallonia
While an agreement has been reached between the farmers and the regional government in Flanders, this is not the case in Wallonia. On Friday Walloon farmers resumed their protest action at various locations in the Liège Province. Filter blockades were set up on the E40 motorway at Loncin and near Welkenraedt.
At Ciney in Namur Province around 30 members of the Federation of Young Farmers (FJA) took action to raise awareness of their concerns outside the Ciney Cattle Auction. The protesters allowed most of the lorries carrying livestock to enter but slowed down their exit.