Farmers are in full mobilization mode, with blockades expanding across the entire country and tensions remaining at high levels on major highway corridors. As previously reported, farmers were set to establish a new blockade near Kastro in Boeotia, managing to break through the police cordon, while serious disruptions were observed on the Athens-Lamia Highway and Ionia Highway.
Farmers broke through police cordon near Kastro
Specifically, at the roundabout in Kastro, farmers managed to surprise police officers as they broke through the cordon and leveled protective barriers. According to STAR Central Greece, approximately 50 tractors from the broader area waited to join the main body of agricultural machinery heading from Orchomenos, Livadeia, Aliartos and Vagia. There, Boeotian farmers formed a second blockade. The farmers symbolically chose to have a hearse lead the procession of tractors.
Problems also exist on the Ionia Highway at Angelokastro, where farmers have occupied both traffic lanes. Drivers are forced to take detours, resulting in kilometer-long queues at toll stations. Meanwhile, the Athens-Patras National Highway is also closed near Kiato.
Additionally, farmers, since Sunday morning, arrived with dozens of tractors at the Evinos bridge on the Antirrio-Messolonghi National Highway, setting up a new blockade.
Images from the Evinos blockade
Where blockades exist on Athens-Lamia highway
Agricultural blockades have been set up at three points on the Athens-Lamia national highway, with a fourth pending, making travel extremely difficult for thousands of drivers, according to information released Sunday afternoon.
Beyond the blockade at Bralos at the 200th kilometer of the Athens-Lamia national highway and the farmers’ blockade in Thebes at the 90th kilometer, another blockade point was established Sunday afternoon, this time by Boeotian farmers at the Kastro junction at the 114th kilometer. Hundreds of tractors and agricultural machinery that were near Orchomenos moved toward the point and completely blocked the road.
Farmers from Orchomenos, Livadeia, Aliartos, Vagia, Thespies, Kastro, Akraifnio and villages in the broader area participate in this specific blockade, strengthening the mobilization.
Traffic is conducted through successive detours, which are continuously modified according to farmers’ decisions, resulting in major delays.
At Bralos, traffic diversion for both directions occurs from the Anthili area (209th km) to Molos (198th km), with alternative routes filling with vehicles trying to bypass the blockade.
The situation is particularly difficult for those traveling from E65 toward Athens, as drivers are forced to exit the highway via detours, approach the Lamia limits and then follow side roads to Molos before returning to their route.
Similar scenes at the Kastro blockade, where drivers must abandon the national highway for approximately 11 kilometers. Traffic is channeled to side roads via Martinos to the Kastro junction for those heading toward Athens, with the opposite direction applying for those traveling to Lamia.
Even greater delays are recorded at the Thebes blockade. Drivers are forced to move via detours from Ritsona, but before returning to the highway again, they pass through the Aliartos area. However, the situation worsens after the Kastro blockade, as drivers must continue via detours to Martino.
The scenario is expected to worsen further, as Lokris farmers are preparing a new blockade on the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway near the Atalanti junction. Tractors are moving toward the junction and have announced closure of the national highway at 3 PM. If this happens, vehicles will be forced to travel via the old national highway from Ritsona to Lamia, further burdening the already strained network.
Meanwhile, farmers and livestock breeders from the Domokos area continue to keep the E65 section closed, as well as parts of the old Lamia-Thessaly national network, causing additional difficulties for local travel.
In Evia, farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers from northern Evia have set up two more blockades in Kirinthos and Istiaia, while there is activity and planning for a new blockade point near Chalkida.
With mobilizations expanding and blockade points multiplying, travel on the major highway axis remains extremely difficult. Farmers announce both determination and escalation of their mobilizations.
Next steps for Nikaia blockade farmers – Decisions to block Volos port
Farmers at the Nikaia blockade are determined to escalate their mobilizations. In a general assembly held Sunday morning, they decided to proceed Monday with a two-hour blockade of bypass roads and subsequently, on Wednesday, to block Volos port both by land and sea.
Next Thursday, organizations from the Larisa area will visit the Nikaia blockade to declare their support. By the end of the week, an assembly will be held with the Panhellenic Committee of Blockades in Nikaia to jointly decide the continuation of the struggle.
Meanwhile, pressuring the government, farmers demand dialogue under conditions to provide answers to their demands concerning the primary sector.
Images from the Nikaia blockade
Police forces at Ioannina airport
Mobilization is also heightened in Epirus. Strong police forces have been deployed early in the Ioannina airport area and its perimeter, as farmer and livestock breeder mobilization was expected.
According to epiruspost.gr, tractors began gathering at the Lapsista junction from morning. Police vans, vehicles and OPKE personnel are located inside and outside the airport to prevent agricultural machinery from approaching both the airport and the national highway junction.
Crete: Farmers escalate mobilizations – Set up VOAK blockade, tomorrow airport blockades
Farmers in Crete continue their mobilizations with greater intensity, with their standing demand being payment of agricultural subsidies.
Today, as reported by Flashnews.gr and parakritika.gr, shortly after 12:00 noon, farmers went to VOAK at the Megala Chorafia exit where they are expected to remain for 48 hours, while at 14:00 they will symbolically interrupt traffic for half an hour.
Additionally, on Monday 8/12, airport blockades were decided in full coordination with mobilizations on the rest of the island where airport blockades are also expected.
Specifically, farmers and livestock breeders will hold a pre-gathering at the Souda junction at 12:00 noon and from there will head toward I. Daskalogiannis airport, beginning the blockade at its entrance. Similar action is expected from farmers and livestock breeders in Heraklion, blocking N. Kazantzakis airport as well.
