CC MEMO -- Blockade Over

The blockade of the Port of Valencia is over. But now it's others' turn.... From the Valencia Life newsletter:


After the truck drivers and the fishermen, yesterday it was the turn of the Farmers’ Unions to have their members stage a strike. All these three strikes were about the same thing: the rise in the cost of diesel fuel. Although yesterday’s protests were largely centered around the Utiel/Requena area, the Coordinator for Farmers and agricultural breeders stated that it was his intention to have the entire country join in the protest, which is aimed at having the government reduce the value added tax on diesel fuel from 16% to 7%. The farmers yesterday were also joined by the Utiel vineyard workers yesterday, who were protesting various conditions about wine production that had been imposed on the area. Once again, Agriculture Minister Elena Espinosa is expected to head the negotiating team.


Then there is news this morning, also reported in Valencia Life, that might ultimately make the shipping interruptions caused by the fishermen blockade earlier this week look like, well, childs' play:


ALARM IN VALENCIA PORT
As the port activity in Valencia resumed yesterday after the fishermen had blockaded it, workers in Valencia Port yesterday discovered several dead birds in a ship that had arrived from Asia. The discovery brought panic to the port as rumours spread that Avian Flu had arrived in the Valencian Community. The birds were isolated and have now been sent to the Agriculture Ministry for analysis.