Its general manager International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva said that he “understands” the difficulties of the farmers who have been protesting for days in European countries, especially in France, Belgium and Germany, however he emphasized that the is concerned that states are extending state aidinstead of proceeding to according to her “necessary” fiscal stabilization.

Speaking to the press, Kristalina Georgieva assured that she “understands, from a human point of view” that farmers “face many difficulties” and “it is not easy for someone to do the work they do”.

But if the provision of aid “puts governments’ backs against the wall and prevents them from doing what is necessary to strengthen their economies, there is a risk that the moment may come when they may regret it,” he added.

The IMF has been insisting for months that countries, especially the richest, must gradually end the support measures they had promoted to prop up their economies during the pandemic, then to soften the inflationary shock, and the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kristalina Georgieva has repeatedly underlined the risk that states will be forced to face economic shocks without the necessary fiscal margins, as lending rates have risen sharply in recent years.

“I have spoken to a number of officials, particularly finance ministers, who recognize the need for fiscal stabilization but also say it is difficult to end the support,” he said.

The IMF recommends that you “look holistically at how to get the necessary margins. Can you increase your income? Guarantee the quality of your spending? Is there anything more you can do?’

Governments are “under enormous pressure to invest in competitiveness, the green economy, training and talent in terms of the digital economy, where is all this money going to come from? Debt service is increasing. Your public support has increased for good reasons and you are under pressure to keep spending,” Ms Georgieva insisted.

Farmers’ protests in France and Germany in particular pushed the governments of President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz to multiply their announcements.

In France, in addition to strengthening the EGAlim (née États généraux de l’alimentation) laws, which were intended to prevent producers from paying the costs of price wars between distributors, and relaxing various rules, the government announced measures at a cost of around 400 million euros.