"I appeal to the deputies to mobilize, together with the institutions and the people who can, so that they 'wipe the slate clean' of this, because it is a very ugly element of our democracy", said Alexandre Pinto, from the movement's installation committee.

This afternoon, this farmer was speaking at the parliamentary committee on agriculture and fisheries, during a hearing with the Civic Movement of Farmers about the "serious situation that the agricultural sector is going through".

In response to Chega deputy João Paulo Graça, who questioned the movement's members about these notifications, Alexandre Pinto confirmed that some farmers who were in the protests are being notified.

"The country spent 40 years with political prisoners and then spent 50 years without political prisoners. None of us wants to go back to the regime of political prisoners", the farmer stressed.

João Dias Coutinho, also from the movement's installation committee, told the deputies that several protesters, "both from Ficalho [in the municipality of Serpa, district of Beja], and from Vilar Formoso [in the municipality of Almeida, Guarda], are being notified randomly".

"Celebrating 50 years of democracy, it is natural that people who felt the need to protest are now the targets of criminal proceedings", he questioned, stressing that the protests took place "in a peaceful manner".

According to spokespeople for the movement, at least some farmers who participated in the protests near the borders of Vila Verde de Ficalho and Vilar Formoso were notified to appear and be identified by the GNR.

At this hearing, Ana Bívar, also a member of the movement's installation committee, stated that, although they have demobilized, the farmers continue to be "frustrated and the sector has not been pacified at all".

"There was a very small agreement, which only concerns the overdue payments and the reinstatement of the cuts [to aid for organic farming and integrated production], which has not even been fully completed", she argued, stressing: "We are still in the same situation".

According to Ana Bívar, the farmers complain that they "do not feel represented or heard", that they "still do not have the conditions to continue their activity" and that farms "continue to close daily".

"The 2022/2023 campaign has not yet been completed and the 2023/2024 campaign has not even been launched, and therefore no planning is possible. In October 2023, the agricultural year began, which is now coming to an end, and IFAP [Agriculture and Fisheries Financing Institute] does not even have the 2024 calendar yet", she added.

The Civic Movement of Farmers handed the deputies a list of demands with proposals in the areas of taxation, competitiveness, individual and professional dignity, sustainability and the environment, bureaucracy and renegotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CAPSP).

At the end of the meeting, when questioned by Lusa about the number of farmers already notified by the authorities, João Dias Coutinho said that the movement does not have this data yet, but added that he is also aware of cases in the areas of Alcochete and Montijo (Setúbal).

Leia Também: GNR notified farmers who participated in the demonstration on the A25 (Portuguese version)