One of the main groups of protesting
Italian farmers said Thursday they would unleash their tractors
to roam freely on the streets of Rome Saturday unless Farm
Minister Francesco Lollobrigida agreed to see them about their
grievances.
The group, Agricultural Redemption, which has already agreed
with Rome officials to hold a tractor parade in Piazza San
Giovanni Friday, said they would left their vehicles roam across
the whole city unless Lollobrigida set up a meeting.
"If we don't get answers our tractors will leave the garrison
(on the capital's outskirts) and go free around Rome," said
Andrea Papa, one of the leaders of Agricultural Redemption,
speaking of an "ultimatum" to the minister of agriculture.
"We want a meeting with the minister but so far no one has
contacted us," said Papa.
"Tomorrow's demonstration in San Giovanni is the only positive
result of these days and tomorrow morning our ten tractors will
move from the garrison escorted by the police.
"But if the minister does not respond to the ultimatum that
expires on Saturday at 12 noon, the tractors will go free around
the city".
The biggest protest group, Farmers Betrayed, said Wednesday that
a planned tractor parade around Rome some time next week would
involve thousands of vehicles and could see them roaming around
the historic Circus Maximus.
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