Farmers are hardening their stance, moving from the Nikaia blockade to symbolic closures of side roads. On Wednesday they are expected to participate in blocking the port of Volos. Meanwhile, a symbolic blockade is being carried out by farmers from the E65 blockade at Kostas Tsiaras’s office in Karditsa, while the regions of Achaia and Messinia have also joined the mobilization dance.
Read: Blockades in Chania: The moment farmers overturn police patrol car (Images & Video)
Blockades have also been set up at the customs stations of Ormenio, Kipi, Exochi, Promachonas, Evzoni and Niki. The passage of trucks is prohibited either for a few hours or indefinitely, depending on farmers’ decisions in each area.
Mikrothives – Magnesia: Coordinated blockades ahead of port closure
Farmers from Magnesia remain active, participating energetically in the nationwide blockade network. The blockade at Mikrothives remains steady and all eyes are on Wednesday, when the port closure is scheduled. This decision was made with participation of farmers from all of Thessaly, with particular weight carried by Magnesia farmers, due to easy access to the port both from land and sea. Fishermen also play an important role in the mobilization, coordinating with farmers for this action.
The unified stance of farmers makes clear that they will not leave the roads and national highways if problems are not addressed.
The main demands of Magnesia farmers, like other blockades, are compensations, reduction of production costs and cheaper fuel, while agricultural holdings and subsidies remain in focus.
Crete airports under “siege” conditions
Shortly before five Monday afternoon (8/12) and after three hours of mobilization on the runway of Heraklion “N.Kazantzakis” airport, the farmers who had entered the airport runway as part of their mobilizations that began this morning finally departed.
Airport operations had been suspended while all flights until that time were cancelled.
Crowds of farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers and fishermen gathered inside and outside the “N.Kazantzakis” airport building, emphasizing that their mobilizations will continue indefinitely.
Incidents also occurred in Chania, where protesters proceeded to block the airport and overturned a patrol car, with security forces remaining on constant alert. Initially farmers headed to the airport gate to protest, however police did not allow them, resulting in escalating tension.
However, as ERT reported, Heraklion airport reopened after the prolonged blockade. Following negotiations, farmers decided to stop the blockade and allow the airport to operate until 23:00 at night.
Blockade with over 100 tractors in both traffic lanes at Glafkos Junction
With undiminished intensity, farmers in Achaia and Aetolia-Acarnania continue their mobilizations, cutting major road arteries.
More than 100 tractors from the Erymanthos blockade and the wider Kalavryta area attempted to enter central Patras, however strong police forces did not allow their entry into the city. Subsequently farmers moved to Glafkos junction, setting up a new blockade closing both traffic lanes.
Ionia highway closed indefinitely at Angelokastro
Farmers remain immovable at the Angelokastro junction, declaring they will not take “a step back”.
Farmers departed from the Kalamata – Messini national highway – They will meet Wednesday to escalate their struggle
The closure of the Kalamata – Messini national highway was completed following the dynamic mobilization carried out by county farmers, initially in Kalamata. They decided to meet Wednesday evening, with all agricultural associations of Messinia and organizations to decide the final date when they will proceed to close the national highway with the aim of remaining there for days.
Egnatia highway blockade by truck drivers at Kipi customs ends
The blockade of the Egnatia highway road section, Ardanio – Kipi Customs towards Turkey, which foreign truck drivers had implemented around one in the afternoon as a protest against the exit ban from the country due to farmers’ blockade at Kipi Customs continuing today for the 7th day, ended a short while ago.
About 50 drivers with corresponding number of trucks closed the lane for passenger cars and buses with their vehicles. Police and farmers rushed to the scene and after coordination the incident ended without creating further problems.
It should be noted that 10 more trucks have already been scheduled to exit, as part of gradual traffic decongestion, both on the Egnatia highway section and the old national road, so that passage of all other vehicles is smooth.
Western Macedonia farmers remain in blockade with 700 tractors – Call for general strike
The large mobilization of Western Macedonia farmers continues, with more than 700 tractors remaining gathered at the Bara Siatistas blockade on Egnatia Highway, where they have been since Saturday December 7.
In today’s meeting of coordinating committees, blocking ELGA Western Macedonia offices in Kozani was decided, in the presence of police forces.
A delegation of farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers and fishermen arrived without tensions at the organization’s offices, where they met with service executives and submitted their demands.
Meanwhile, farmers called on organizations, associations, citizens and professionals throughout Western Macedonia for a joint meeting at the blockade site tomorrow at 20:00, to discuss proclaiming a general strike and determine its date. From today, it was also decided to distribute free products to passing drivers.
Traffic on the Egnatia section, from Bara Siatistas junction to Kalamia junction, is conducted via bypass through the old Kozani-Kastoria national road, with delays of 6 to 10 minutes.
New delegations from other parts of the country are expected at the blockade, while this morning Dimitris Natsios visited it, expressing his support for the agricultural struggle.
The Agricultural-Livestock Association of Eastern Eordaia and Southern Vegoritis Basin proceeds today with symbolic road closure from 16:00 to 17:00.
Gathering outside Tsiaras’s office in Karditsa
Tension occurred in Karditsa, outside the relevant minister’s office, where farmers who arrived with symbolic number of tractors are protesting, when they saw that police had blocked the road to the office of Rural Development Minister Kostas Tsiaras.
As they state, “these are the open doors the government talks about,” demanding removal of riot police forces.
Farmers had decided on a protest gathering as part of E65 blockade mobilizations, however, according to reports, when they arrived at the site they found the road closed from both sides, which infuriated them.
Blockade continues at Promachonas station until evening
Farmers and livestock breeders proceeded today with blockade of both traffic lanes at Promachonas border station only for trucks from 12:00 to 20:00.
As farmers at Promachonas blockade decided yesterday, from today they escalate their mobilizations with longer duration blockade of the border station.
Mobilizations escalate with blockades in Epirus – Ionia highway closed
Agricultural mobilizations are escalating in Epirus, with new blockades and closures of central road axes. Since Sunday afternoon the Ionia Highway remains closed indefinitely at Arta junction, where farmers blocked both traffic lanes after the gathering that preceded at the city’s historic bridge.
In Preveza the blockade at Louros remains steady, while in Ioannina producers who blocked the airport returned to Kalpaki, where from Monday blockades of the national highway towards Kakavia and Konitsa will continue.
In Igoumenitsa a gathering is scheduled for Thursday at 11 AM, with tractor march towards the port, where the county’s blockade is traditionally formed.
Kalpaki blockade returns today
Yesterday afternoon, after the symbolic blockade of Ioannina airport, tractors departed from Kalpaki junction and the site remained open. At 6 PM today, however, farmers will return to the blockade, which is located on the main axis towards Albania and Kakavia customs.
At today’s assembly the next steps will be decided, however current data shows that farmers at all Epirus blockades are hardening their stance, demanding immediate and substantial measures from the government.
Bypasses and major inconvenience for drivers heading to Ioannina
Traffic towards Ioannina, for those arriving from Amfilochia, is conducted via bypass route through Arta, with re-entry to the highway at Philippiada. The same applies in reverse: those heading from Ioannina to Arta exit at Philippiada and continue through the city before returning to Ionia Highway.
Blockade participants are oriented today towards even stricter measures, with a decision to be made this afternoon: they are considering closing side roads too, which would force drivers to travel even greater distances on the provincial road network.
Mytilene port entrance remains blocked
The entrance to Mytilene port remains blocked, preventing loading of the ship which according to schedule departs at 6 PM.
