This coming Sunday, January 4, a nationwide farmers’ meeting is set to take place in Malgara, as farmers continue their blockades across Greece. Specifically, farmers from blockades in Central Greece, Peloponnese, Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace will be called upon to decide the future of their mobilizations, while the government is preparing a Plan B in case they continue to refuse dialogue and do not come to the negotiating table by January 6.
As emphasized in the relevant announcement, farmers are determined to continue their mobilizations until all their demands are satisfied. The meeting will take place at the facilities of the Malgara Cultural Center.
Full announcement for the nationwide meeting in Malgara
Following is the announcement from the Nationwide Blockade Committee:
“The Secretariat of the Nationwide Blockade Committee greets the thousands of farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers, and fishermen who remain at the dozens of blockades set up across the country for a month now, fighting for their survival.
Having the majority of the Greek people on our side, we have repelled every attempt by the government to slander and undermine our just struggle.
They could not break us with repression, social pressure, calls for sham dialogues, mud-slinging, slander and pressures, or attempts to break our unity with various ‘willing accomplices’.
The only thing all this achieves is to increase our anger and determination against the government’s intransigence. We call on the blockades, with decisions from their General Assemblies, to participate in the new nationwide meeting that will take place on Sunday, January 4, at 12 noon, in Malgara to discuss the escalation of our struggle and our next moves.
We say it once more: We will not back down. We will not leave with our heads bowed. We don’t back down! We are not afraid! We don’t retreat! We don’t sell out! We will win, because our struggle is a struggle for survival!
Let the government and all those who, in one way or another, support it understand this. We welcome 2026 militantly, at the blockades together with our colleagues, our families, all the people. We continue – we escalate – we will win!”
Traffic diversion maps and alternative routes on the Athens-Thessaloniki highway
The Greek Police issued an announcement regarding the blockades and traffic diversions on the Athens-Thessaloniki highway, explaining why diversions are necessary due to the risk of traffic accidents and providing maps with alternative routes. The police announcement states, among other things, that since the start of the farmers’ mobilizations, the Greek Police has taken targeted and temporary traffic measures on the national road network, with the exclusive aim of ensuring road safety and protecting human life.
The traffic regulations, as noted, implemented by Traffic Police forces are absolutely connected to the presence of agricultural tractors, fixed or mobile obstacles, as well as pedestrians on the roadway. These measures are necessary to prevent serious traffic accidents and do not aim at arbitrary road closures, but at managing objectively dangerous traffic conditions.
Regarding Kastro Viotias, a point where social media users report the existence of diversions without the presence of farmers or agricultural tractors, it is clarified that traffic diversion does not take place at the actual point of the farmers’ blockade, but approximately eight (8) kilometers earlier, specifically at the exit of the Martinou Junction.
Greek Police: Alternative routes due to farmers’ blockades
Specifically, for traffic flow towards Athens, movement is diverted from kilometer position 125,770 (Martinou Junction) to kilometer position 114,815 (Kastro Junction), via the highway service road, while in the traffic flow towards Thessaloniki, traffic proceeds through one (1) traffic lane of the A.Th.E. motorway.
This particular regulation may create the false impression of complete road closure for those passing through. In reality, however, it aims to avoid extremely dangerous situations, as the passage of vehicles through the blockade point would require continuous maneuvers to avoid agricultural machinery, protesting pedestrians and makeshift constructions located on the roadway.
Beyond the above regulation, drivers can also follow other alternative routes to Athens, as follows:
1) exit from the Highway at the Anthili Junction and moving through Bralos, Amfikleia, Kato Tithorea, Orchomenos to enter at Kastro Junction (relevant visual representation attached)
2) exit from the Highway at Atalanti Junction and moving through Atalanti and Orchomenos, to enter at Kastro Junction (relevant visual representation attached).
Similar traffic regulations are applied in other points of the territory where farmers’ mobilizations are in progress (detailed points are available in a special banner on the Greek Police website at the following link: https://www.astynomia.gr/kykloforiakes-rythmiseis-logo-agrotikon-kinitopoiiseon/)
At the same time, according to weather forecasts, severe weather phenomena are expected in the coming days, which further increases the risk of traffic accidents, especially at points with limited traffic width and increased presence of obstacles.
Due to increased movement of holidaymakers, the Greek Police advises drivers to take into account the current traffic regulations, to be informed before their departure and return and, where possible, to consider the possibility of chronologically postponing their return, especially on Sunday, when the main bulk of returns is expected.
The Greek Police will continue to take the necessary traffic measures for as long as extraordinary conditions exist, with the sole purpose of protecting human life and ensuring public safety.
