Spain or France, as long as we eat… but in the midst of the protests of farmers, we need to pay attention to what we eat. A diplomatic quarrel has arisen between Paris and Madrid in recent days, with France attacking and Spain defending its tomatoes. The former French Minister of the Environment and socialist candidate for the presidential elections, Ségolène Royal, triggered the dispute while appearing on a talk show on the private channel Bfmtv.
She talked about the lack of protections for French farmers, who have been in revolt for days, compared to their European competitors. She said, “Have you ever tasted a so-called Spanish organic tomato? You can no longer find them in French organic stores.
But the Spanish ones are inedible. They are falsely labeled as organic. In Spain, they do not respect the standards that apply in France for organic products.”
This is a very sensitive issue for the farmers, but it provoked a reaction from the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who even intervened at the European Council. “Inedible and dishonest.” This was the response to Ségolène Royal’s remarks that offended Madrid.
The former French Minister of the Environment criticized Spanish agriculture for not respecting the same rules as France. This struck a chord with the protesting farmers but also prompted a response from the Spanish Prime Minister. “Spanish tomatoes?
‘Inedible and dishonest.’ I invite Ségolène Royal to come to Spain and she will see that Spanish tomatoes are unbeatable.” This was the counter-response on X (formerly Twitter).
“I appreciate the courtesy,” tweeted the former minister, “but it is clear that if the health conditions are not the same, the competition is unfair. And it drags us down.” Gazpacho, pan con tomate, regional salads: offending Spanish tomatoes is like touching the French with their baguette, argued an editorial in the weekly “Le Point.”
February 3, 2024 (updated on February 3, 2024 | 11:12)
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