Farmer mobilizations are on an escalation trajectory, as farmers’ roadblocks strengthen daily and spread to critical points of the national and provincial road network, while closures of customs, ports, and even airports are proceeding. Thousands of tractors have already been deployed from Macedonia and Thessaly to Epirus, Central Greece and the islands, as farmers and livestock breeders proceed with new dynamic forms of pressure, demanding substantial solutions and immediate satisfaction of their demands.
Simultaneously, new roadblocks are being created at key junctions, with farmers declaring their determination to continue and expand their actions, while both the Prime Minister and government officials declare themselves open to dialogue.
Farmers examine expansion of mobilizations
Through daily general assemblies at the roadblocks, they determine the course of actions, examining the expansion of mobilizations and the adoption of new forms of demands, with decisions being made collectively, aiming, as they say, to clearly express the demands and situation of the agricultural sector.
Among their demands are the immediate payment of all owed subsidies and compensations, guaranteed minimum prices that will cover the real cost of production, reduction of production costs with tax-free fuel at the pump and a 7 cents/Kwh ceiling for agricultural electricity, and radical change of ELGA regulations to compensate 100% for production and capital from all risks.
Next week, attention turns to the Pan-Hellenic Committee session to achieve nationwide coordination of all roadblocks and protests.
Macedonia: New roadblocks in Derveni Lagkadas and Siatista
Agricultural roadblocks established at crucial points in Central and Western Macedonia are expanding despite the bad weather that hit many areas of the country.
Producers from the Lagkadas municipality are expected to create a new roadblock today at the Derveni junction, at the intersection of the old Thessaloniki-Kavala national road with other important road arteries, including the one leading to Nea Santa Kilkis.
This is the 4th agricultural-livestock roadblock around Thessaloniki, complementing roadblocks at Green Lights, Chalkidona junction, and Malgara junction.
At Malgara, the Athens-bound lane remains closed since Monday while the Thessaloniki-bound lane opens and closes daily. In Chalkidona, daily opening and closing of access to the old Thessaloniki-Edessa national road continues.
At Green Lights, access from Agricultural School Avenue to “Macedonia” Airport has been cut off, though it remains accessible via Thermi junction or the Thessaloniki-Moudania national road.
In Imathia, the Veria-bound lane on Egnatia Highway is closed by Alexandria farmers who set up a roadblock at Niselio junction. A roadblock also exists at Kouloura junction without blockades.
Roadblocks have also been set up at Gypsochorio Pella junction on the Thessaloniki-Edessa national road and at “Alysida” position at the Drosia Pella intersection.
In Kozani, farmers are creating a new roadblock today at Siatista intersection on Egnatia Highway, where farmers with tractors from Grevena, Kastoria, Voio, Kozani, Eordaia and Florina have already arrived. The meeting point is after 12 noon at the Egnatia Highway junction in Bara Siatista. Egnatia Highway is expected to close in both directions, with ΙΧ cars and buses allowed through bypass routes.
In Pieria, there’s an agricultural roadblock at Aiginio entrance, with farmers conducting symbolic blockades on the old Thessaloniki-Katerini national road.
Farmers and livestock breeders of Serres prefecture proceeded with indefinite traffic closure at Kerdyllia junction on Egnatia Highway in both traffic directions.
Customs: Promachonas closes for one hour – Afternoon four-hour closure of Exochi customs
Farmer roadblocks have been set up at Kipi, Exochi, Promachonas, Evzoni, Niki customs, and Kalpaki junction leading to Kakavia customs. Only truck passage is prohibited for a few hours or indefinitely according to local farmer decisions. Truck passage carrying Greek products and emergency vehicles proceeds normally.
Today, farmers decided to close Promachonas border station for one hour for all vehicles to welcome public transport truck drivers coming to Promachonas to support their struggle. Unions, syndicates and Serres Prefecture bodies recently arrived at Promachonas to unite their voices with farmers and livestock breeders.
Taxi and truck drivers joined the farmers’, livestock breeders’ and beekeepers’ roadblock at Promachonas today. Taxi drivers arrived from Serres city via motorized march to express support for the farmers’ struggle. Public transport truck drivers will soon arrive at Promachonas supporting the farmer mobilization.
Thessaly: Decisions for escalation
In a pan-Thessalian meeting, farmers decided to harden their stance from Monday with customs blockades and major mobilization targeting Volos port closure, likely happening midweek on Wednesday or Thursday. Final decisions will be made Sunday.
The Athens-Thessaloniki national road remains closed at Nikaia junction in Larissa, where 4,000 tractors are stationed. Despite difficult weather conditions, guard groups remain beside their deployed tractors.
Sunday the roadblock is expected to convene and decide on next moves. From Monday, escalation of mobilizations is expected, possibly including symbolic closure of bypass roads.
On E65 highway at Karditsa height where the roadblock is also large, new tractors are expected to arrive today, Saturday 6/12.
A few kilometers down exists the roadblock set up by Trikala farmers at Longos tolls.
About 200 tractors from Almyros and Riga Feraios Municipality areas headed this morning to Mikrothives junction and blocked the national road, burning straw.
Agricultural mobilizations in full development in Epirus
Agricultural mobilizations are in full development across all Epirus prefectures, with farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers intensifying pressure to address serious problems affecting the primary sector.
In Arta, agricultural-livestock farmers will block the city bridge Sunday afternoon, deploying tractors and agricultural machinery following a call from the Agricultural Associations Federation.
At the second agricultural roadblock in Epirus, at Louros in Preveza, tractors are being reinforced with traffic conducted via bypass roads.
In Ioannina, agricultural-livestock farmers continue mobilizations at Kalpaki demanding immediate solutions to problems that threaten production viability. Saturday the road will close from 19:00 to 22:00, while Sunday at 11:00 a gathering is scheduled at Lapsista with a march to Ioannina airport. There, at 12:30, a meeting will take place with prefecture bodies participating.
In Thesprotia, a Friday meeting of farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers decided to participate in mobilizations, especially after recent floods that caused huge damage to citrus fruits and crops. Thursday at 11:00 there will be a gathering at Igoumenitsa stadium and a tractor march to the port, where the prefecture’s roadblock traditionally forms.
New roadblocks in Central Greece
Boeotia farmers went up with their tractors on PATHE at Thebes height, while Central Greece is expected to have roadblocks at Kastro during the weekend.
Hundreds of tractors from every point in Phthiotis blocked a crucial point on the Athens-Lamia national road at Bralos height. The blockade consequence is traffic interruption in both Athens-Lamia directions, from Lamia to Amfissa and from Amfissa to Rio-Antirrio. The old Athens-Lamia national road is also closed, as is E-65.
Three roadblocks in Achaia – Today joining forces from Aetolia-Acarnania
In Achaia there are three roadblocks: at Kato Achaia junction by Western Achaia farmers, at Selinous junction by Aegialia farmers, and at Kourlampa roadblock by Erymanthos farmers.
Today Aetolia-Acarnania farmers joined the mobilizations with a roadblock at Angelokastro junction on Ionian Highway at tolls height, as well as Vonitsa farmers expected to move toward Aktio tolls.
Mobilizations in Lesbos: Monday port blockade
Escalation of mobilizations was decided late yesterday evening by the Larsos roadblock General Assembly, after the large mobilization carried out yesterday by farmers, citizens and bodies who despite difficult rainy conditions went to the roadblock from across the island. It was decided mobilizations will continue Monday with Mytilene port blockade. Two pre-gatherings with tractors and agricultural vehicles will occur. From the northeastern part of the island, farmers will gather at the PPC factory and from the central and southwestern part at Larsos junction. Pre-gatherings will be at 12 noon Monday and a motorized march to the port will begin. Farmers “send a message to the government that the island’s agriculture is determined to remain in its place, in its work, to produce cheap and quality products for people’s nutrition and to live with dignity.”
Crete joins the battle on Monday
Mobilization start for next Monday 8/12 has been announced in Crete with livestock breeders and farmers appearing determined to proceed with blocking the island’s ports and airports.
Mitsotakis’s message to farmers
Meanwhile, from Markopoulo where he conducted a tour, Kyriakos Mitsotakis supported that the government is open for dialogue. “Farmers should come in an organized manner, with specific representation and specific demands and we are here to do the best we can,” said Mr. Mitsotakis. According to the prime minister, “protests should take into account the broader social whole.”
In the same wavelength, Pavlos Marinakis, stating that “there is desire” for a meeting between Thessaly farmers and the Ministry of Agricultural Development within this week. “It’s not yet something definitive, I understand from what I hear from their side that there is desire for a meeting. It’s given from the ministry’s side that this meeting, if such a request is made, will be accepted,” the government spokesperson characteristically stated, speaking on SKAI on Saturday morning.
