Brussels has warned furious Dutch farmers that compulsory farm buyouts are the only way for the Netherlands to meet its EU climate targets.
Climate chief Frans Timmermans said the European Commission would explain the green laws to Caroline van der Plas, the leader of the Farmers-Citizen Movement (BBB).
Is Ms Plas to be allowed a pitchfork, or mattock, to hand as Mr. Timmermans does the explaining?
The BBB triumphed in regional elections last week after months of tractor protests that drew global attention and the support of former US president Donald Trump.
Farmers oppose prime minister Mark Rutte’s plans to reduce livestock numbers and buy up farms to cut nitrogen emissions, which are caused by manure and fertiliser.
“The Netherlands can only achieve the targets by buying out farmers and greening agriculture”, Mr Timmermans, who is Dutch, said.
For democracy seems to indicate that the non-democratically set targets are not what the demos desires.
Oh goody, perhaps ‘Nexit’ is on the cards. And I wonder what the Froggies would think if they found out Micron has been told on the quiet by the EU that he has to raise the pension age?
Is there an EU target to see how many EU citizens the EU can piss off?
It clearly isn’t mansplaining when the ecomentalists or bureaucunts do it!
Much as I’d love the whole EU to burn to the ground, and go back to being just a gathering of democratic countries choosing to go their own way or align as they desire….No way the Dutch resist the EU. No way the EU control the Dutch. So the targets will be fudged, a compromise will be made to kick this into the long grass until the people go back to sleep, while the ratchet moves on one notch at a time.
a compromise will be made to kick this into the long grass
Well that’s the EU way true enough although long grass may be abolished under climate regulations. The underlying reason for optimism is that the Euro must eventually fail and an upward trend in interest rates elsewhere is going to exaccerbate the instability of the wretched ideological edifice. Political will can only trump economic reality for so long.
It’s not quite revisiting Holodomor two generations later, but it’s still depriving the poor of food when shortage is imminent (how much will Ukraine reap this autumn).
Bureaucrats lack consciences (otherwise they could not function as bureaucrats).
All apostles of the Green God should obey the Commandments on pain of torture.
Actually, forget the torture, obeying their own Commandments would be torture enough, given what heretics they are in their daily life.
Addolff: ’Is there an EU target to see how many EU citizens the EU can piss off?’
If so, at least they are overachieving on some targets at last!
Hang the eurocrats and use them as fertiliser??
@TMB “long grass may be abolished under climate regulations” 🙂
If the only way to meet the targets is to destroy the farms then maybe, just maybe, the targets are wrong.
Just a suggestion for the EU to consider.
Are these the same people who think that trade is evil. So, destroy your own production capacity, and ban using anybody else’s production capacity. Let’s see how well that goes.
Let’s see what Oxfam says about it. Anybody got a contact that they can use to request a comment from them?
Oh gods… So incorrect..
*checks quote to find source* Ah… Torygraph, figures…
“Lizzen verry carefooly, I vill tell zis only vunce”…. Clogland. does. not. work. like. the. UK.
The plan to doxx farmers out of existence here is not a plan originating from Rutte, or his party, and he is only nominally responsible for it because he is Prime Minister.
In fact, the VVD as a party is not a big fan of the plans, and the underlying cause: the Nitrogen “crisis”, at all. As it impacts not just the farmers, but everything people try to do or even have to do over here.
In fact, Rutte has already expressed, very carefully, his doubts about the wisdom and feasibility of those plans, because the BBB victory gave him the chance.
His job, as “CEO” of the Cabinet, is to defend the things the Ministries get up to, as set out in the coalition accord set down at the start of a cabinet.
He does not set policy for the ministries themselves. That is done by the appointed ministers from the parties the coalition is made up of.
Nominally responsible, but not policy-making. He can at best set boundaries with the coalition accord in hand.
He is chairman of the ministers and secretaries of state, but he is not their “Boss”.
The one really responsible for this mess is Rob Jetten, Minister for Economy and Climate. Who is a member of D’66. The Europhiles and Europhile Greens.
He is the one pushing for Zero Anything and making threatening “Or Else” noises at the farmers. Waving the coalition accord and “EU Rules and Unity” as a Holy Bible whenever anyone expresses doubt about the wisdom of hamstringing the whole damn Nation over the Green Pantytwisting.
Hiding behind Rutte as Spokesperson when the torches do come out. And they have already…
As Europhiles, D’66 try their utmost to please the PTB in the European Commision, whose vice-chair is Frans Timmermans. He Who Will Tell Us How Things Are Going To Go Down.
Now.. the Dutch Green Tuber ( yes, he is that bad…) may find easy traction with his sycophants in D’66, but I doubt he’ll find life that easy with Caroline van der Plas and her BBB.
Because they already know he is the Enemy, and the root cause of what’s happening here right now.
I’ve a feeling those talks will not quite go the way mr. Timmermans envisions.
As for Rutte, one of the reasons he and his party are still popular is that he has made the EU backpedal or amend on several issues already.
The MSM ( mainly socialist/europhile here..) try to gloss over this, but people have noticed.
VVD, and Rutte, are not a fan of the current EU, but have to work with what they have.
Which includes Frans Timmermans. The only dutch politician in an Important International Position that is not held in high regard and trotted out as “See what a small country can do!”.
Which..in a sense.. is a pretty major accomplishment. Just not one you’re usually looking for…
While it is Rutte’s job to Bear the Hate, he is not the driving factor behind this mess, nor are they “his plans”.
All the curses going “Rutte, Rutte, Rutte” in the dutch media are uttered by very much “Green-Socialist” Journalists. Grauniad style. And Grauniad level of “excellence”.
Who also distinctly and consistently fail to point out that actual policy is determined by the Ministers/Secretaries of State. Not the Prime Minister.
But then again, they constantly have Wet Dreams of the day when there finally will be a Left-Socialist majority and they can Set All Things Right.
Let them dream..The Left-Socialist block they’re dreaming of has consistently lost ground over the last couple elections. And would tear itself apart within a year..
Where this will lead… Not Nexit. But if the Cabinet falls now?.. based on current sentiments, and the last election results?
Certainly not execution of the current disastrous plans. Maybe a fat middle finger to the EU, Polish style.
And then hoping the other “small countries” pick up the fact that you can tell the EU to STFU and dial down its ambition of a Federal Europe.
If the Left manages to crowbar the current proposals through before any next elections? Ohboi… Interesting Times..
Thanks for the insight, Grikath.
Certainly not execution of the current disastrous plans. Maybe a fat middle finger to the EU, Polish style.
The locus of the EU is already moving east as the Poles, Czechs and Balts demand more say and the French and Germans squabble over everything, so perhaps some sense will prevail.
Climate chief Frans Timmermans said the European Commission would explain the green laws to Caroline van der Plas
She needs to point out she is elected and invoke Tony Benn:
The UK/Switzerland/Norway should consider setting up an Amicable Free Trade Area and seeing how many EU, and nonEU, countries might prefer that to the Fourth Reich. Competition is good, eh?
“The UK/Switzerland/Norway should consider setting up an Amicable Free Trade Area and seeing how many EU, and nonEU, countries might prefer that to the Fourth Reich. Competition is good, eh?”
The trouble is that this would still come with the Green agenda intact – net zero, no cars, no meat etc
Thanks, Grikath, one would feel such a goose if the wrong person was strung up.
Docbud, That’s the point isn’t it?
Politicians and lawyers are slippery eels by nature. Comes with the job.
May seem pendantry, but if you’re going to string some up over something, it’s imperative to do the right ones, for the right reasons.
If you get the wrong’uns the real culprits will play Innocent, lay low for a bit, and then proceed as usual.
It’s one of those things where you have to be specific and accurate.
Plenty of historical cases where they did get the wrong’un(s), and paid the price later.
@Grikath: Thats all very well saying ‘Its not Rutte’s fault and he doesn’t want it (the current agriculture policy) and can’t do anything to stop it’, but he can, he could resign and oppose the policy from outside of government. By staying as PM he is de facto supporting the policy. he could just remove himself and his party from government on the proinciple he disabgrees with his government’s own policy. But he doesn’t, so his head should be on the chopping block too.
Its a bit like saying ‘Well yes, I do have children who are going out and robbing and assaulting people, I don’t agree with their actions, but what they do is up to them, I’m not throwing them out of their home!’. By not taking action against them when you can you are complicit in their behaviour.
If Rutte does pull his party out of government, causing impasse and chaos, just wait till the usual idiots start bleating about the wonders of PR