Farmer protests intensify as roadblocks appear across Greece

Protests farmers across Greece are intensifying: thousands of tractors remain on national highways, and agricultural unions say they are ready to “go to the end.” Amid growing discontent, roadblocks are being expanded and new actions have already been announced in hairwhere a complete blockade of the port is planned.

At a meeting in Nicaea farmers said that “The government has cornered them” and that further escalation is inevitable. Hundreds of tractors remain at key road junctions, including E-65, Loggo Trikalon and a number of regional junctions. Farmers emphasize that they do not intend to retreat under pressure, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called a road blockade “an extreme form of protest”.

According to the decisions of the meetings, the following are being prepared:

• closure of parallel road routes around Nikea (08/12),
• blockade of the port of Volos by three large checkpoints of Thessaly (10/12), with the participation of fishermen of Magnisia,
• mass solidarity action in Nicaea 11/12.

Chairman of the Larisa Agrarian Federation Rizos Marudas stated: “We do not accept the logic of handouts. The people are with us. We are not fighting for debts, but for the future.”

Four Key Causes of Agrarian Revolt

Farmers emphasize that there are four factors due to which they do not intend to retreat:

• OPECPEPE scandal and a sense of unfairness in the distribution of benefits.
• Small ruminant pox epidemicleaving many livestock farmers without support.
• Payment delays and widespread financial instability.
• High production costsbecause of which it becomes unbearable for farms to work.

Farmers claim that the new KAP and government policies are leading thousands of families to ruin. Among the demands: immediate payment of all compensation, guaranteed minimum prices, reduction in production costs, duty free diesel fuel and ceiling 0.07 € per kWh for agricultural electricity, as well as a complete revision of the rules ELGA.

Political reaction

Two former prime ministers – Kostas Karamanlis And Antonis Samaras — made statements in support of farmers, calling on the authorities to “stop living in a world of communication” and listen to the real problems of society.

Roadblocks all over the country

The protest spread throughout Greece – from Thessaly and Macedonia to Crete. National highways, sections of the Ionian and Egnatian roads are blocked, and traffic towards the Macedonia airport is temporarily disrupted in Thessaloniki. In Thessaly, farmers managed to break through police cordons and reach the national road.

In Mikrotiva, farmers blocked the Athens-Thessaloniki highway, and new roadblocks appeared in Aetolia and western Macedonia. Despite the closures, farmers say they are trying to “not cause unnecessary inconvenience to the public” by providing detours.

New stage of protests

A new wave of actions begins in Crete from 08/12: airport blockade “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” and a mass rally in Heraklion. Local unions stress there will be protests long-term and are aimed at “Farmers have finally been heard.”

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