German farmers block roads with tractors and stage protests against plan to scrap diesel tax breaks

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Farmers are blocking highway access roads in parts of Germany and snarling traffic elsewhere, launching a week of protests against a government plan to scrap tax breaks on diesel used in agriculture. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular three-party coalition infuriated farmers last month by drawing up plans to abolish a car tax exemption for farming vehicles and the diesel tax breaks. The government on Thursday climbed down partially, saying that the car tax exemption would be retained and the cuts in the diesel tax breaks would be staggered over three years. But the German Farmers Association said it was still insisting on both plans being reversed fully and would go ahead with a “week of action” starting Monday.