Farmers are very worried about a new government demand. They must pay water fees from nine years ago. These fees are for water taken from the ground since 2017. Many farmers want the government to stop asking for this money.
The water fee law was made in 2017. However, the government did not ask for the money until now. Now, farmers have to pay a lot of money. Some owe a few thousand euros. Others owe over €100,000. This is a big problem for farmers.
Farmers are already facing a bad drought. They also have higher costs for their farms. Their income is much lower this year. It is very difficult for them.
Farm leaders met with politicians this week. They explained how bad this is for them. They said the drought means less water for crops. This causes lower harvests and less money. Electricity and fertilizer costs are also very high. These things make it hard for farms to make money.
Yiannakis Gavriel leads the agriculture committee. He said the timing is very bad. He called it a "difficult time for farming." He wants the government to stop the payments. He thinks farmers need time to get better.
More talks will happen soon. The agriculture ministry will meet farmers on Friday. The ministry might allow farmers to pay the old fees slowly. However, they still want the total money. This is a big problem for many farmers.