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Trucks on the Straße des 17. Juni: Vigil against increasing burdens

Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa

The transport industry vented its dissatisfaction about rising costs with a large demonstration in Berlin.

According to police information, around 540 trucks as well as 60 tractors, more than 100 cars and mobile homes blocked the Straße des 17. Juni and other streets around the Victory Column on Friday.

According to information, the influx of protesters continued around midday, with 1,500 people registered for the demonstration.

According to the police, around 200 people took part in a rally on the adjacent square in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

Another protest took place at the same time at the Berlin exhibition center, where the International Green Week officially started in the morning.

A good 100 tractors and trucks drove up there.

The freight forwarding companies criticize that they are being burdened twice by the increased truck toll and the increased CO2 tax.

They also accuse the federal government of cutting promised funding for electric trucks.

“Then the drive change in logistics won’t work,” said the chairman of the logistics association BGL, Dirk Engelhardt, to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.

Numerous freight forwarders had already joined the farmers' week of protest against the federal government's cutback plans for agriculture and took part in the large demonstration in the capital on Monday with their vehicles.

According to police, around 6,000 vehicles largely paralyzed the government district during the operation.

Conversely, farmers now also took part in the hauliers' campaign with their tractors.

BGL boss Engelhardt, like the farmers, announced further actions.

“We will definitely do something,” he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine.”

For example, haulage companies could drive their trucks to the constituency offices of members of the Bundestag to emphasize their demands.

In any case, the shipping companies' dissatisfaction is "tremendous."

The farmers' association has announced protests and actions next week if the federal government does not withdraw its plans to increase taxes on agricultural diesel.

The catering industry also wants to “continue to fight for the uniform taxation of food at seven percent,” said the managing director of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association, Ingrid Hartges, in the “Augsburger Allgemeine”.

The VAT rate on food in restaurants, which was reduced due to the corona pandemic, rose again to 19 percent at the turn of the year.

mic/AFP