Brittany in Uproar Over French Imposed Tax

In a disgraceful show of heavy handedness by the French state a number of Breton protestors were badly injured on Saturday in demonstrations against the French imposed “Ecotax” in Pont-de-Buis.  Due to come into effect in January 2014 the tax is supposed to encourage the use of environmentally friendly transport by adding a levy on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. However this completely ignores the specific situation in Brittany where the agricultural sector is a vital part of the Breton nation’s economy.

The Breton economy is suffering under President Hollande’s regime at this time. The increasingly unpopular government has introduced more than 80 new taxes since it came to power last May. The agricultural industry in Brittany is under severe pressure at a time of economic downturn. The new levy ignores the needs of Brittany and will increase the cost of getting goods to markets but offers no alternative means of distribution. In recent weeks pork producer Gad announced it would transfer or lay off around 850 workers, while Breton poultry company Doux laid off 900 hundred workers last year.

It is clear that that Brittany needs to take control of its own affairs by becoming independent from France and adopting policies that are specifically designed to benefit the Breton people. That includes real measures to protect the environment of Brittany. Meanwhile more protests are planned against the so called “Ecotax”.