The response from **farmers** to the new invitation by **Pavlos Marinakis** for a meeting with the prime minister next Tuesday at Maximos Mansion was positive, while a nationwide assembly will take place on Saturday or Sunday in Nikaia to determine the committee that will go to Athens on Tuesday. According to the head of the Karditsa blockade, Kostas Tzellas, farmers accept the proposal for dialogue at Maximos Mansion, while a nationwide assembly will be held on Saturday or Sunday in Nikaia to determine the committee that will go to Athens on Tuesday.
According to information, farmers are planning to open the roads from tomorrow, however tractors will remain lined up on the sides until the dialogue with Mitsotakis takes place.
However, at the same time, they are requesting a meeting “with the prime minister, for the satisfaction of our fair survival demands,” as they state. Meanwhile, farmers will make their final decisions over the weekend at the next nationwide conference, likely in Nikaia.
Marinakis on farmers: Yes to dialogue with two conditions
The government’s message was conveyed by Pavlos Marinakis earlier during the briefing of political editors. “We have never said no to dialogue and the Prime Minister himself has said he is available with two conditions and one note,” the government spokesperson announced and explained: “The note is that there is no fiscal space or possibility based on EU rules for additional measures. But dialogue remains necessary for all the major changes that are already being promoted and everything that still needs to be done for the primary sector. Therefore, dialogue is necessary, but there is no room for additional measures. This is the note. The terms are self-evident. The first condition is that the delegation should be representative from all of Greece and the second condition is to stop these mobilizations.”
Mr. Marinakis reiterated that “dialogue either with representatives of the Ministries or the Minister himself or with the Prime Minister while this ordeal of citizens continues, cannot happen under any circumstances. We are waiting, therefore, from them with all good will.”
At the same time, the government spokesperson warned that “in case bypass roads and critical infrastructure of the country are closed, then the police will intervene immediately. The government has shown tolerance in the past period. It’s one thing to support the demands of a sector and another to torment your fellow citizens. The payments were made with more money than ever, but to be fair they receive more than last year and other years. What we said we put into practice. The police must do its job as it judges and chooses.”
Where blockades are set up – 48-hour blockade of customs by farmers
Farmers announce that “we will put our extreme stance into practice” and are closing national roads, toll stations, tunnels, cutting Greece in two.
At 2:30 PM the “country was literally cut in two,” as farmers with 120 tractors from the Bralos blockade “blocked” all roads, both on the National Road and on bypasses and the provincial network, and no one can move in any direction. Bralos is also closed, while at Kastro in Boeotia they are also closing bypass roads.
Also, producers at Malgara toll stations are proceeding with a 48-hour blockade of both traffic streams, while farmers and livestock breeders have blocked the Antirrio-Ioannina highway at the height of Aggelokastro toll stations. Evia is also blocked as they closed the Chalkida bridge.
Furthermore, a 48-hour blockade begins at the customs of Promachonas, Exochi, Evzones and Niki. A two-day blockade began at Bara Siatista and the Philotas junction on Egnatia Odos by producers from Western Macedonia, while in Patras farmers blocked the large ring road at the Eglykada junction and the Patras-Pyrgos highway at Chanakia Elias.
The farmers of the blockades express intense disappointment with government announcements, noting that their demands are not being met and that, under current conditions, “escalation of mobilizations is a one-way street.” As stated by farmers from Central Greece, they are completely aligned with the decisions of the Nationwide Coordinating Committee of blockades, which convened in Malgara and decided on escalation until Friday.
Farmer mobilizations in Western Macedonia
From 11 AM, producers in Western Macedonia proceeded with a 48-hour traffic blockade at Bara Siatista, on Egnatia Odos. At the same time, for today farmers decided to block bypass roads from 12 to 4 PM, an action they will repeat periodically during their 48-hour mobilization.
The producers have requested a meeting with the prime minister and declare they are ready for dialogue with the deputy prime minister and the leadership of relevant ministries, “but with roads closed.”
Similarly, from 10 AM producers are proceeding with a 48-hour blockade at the Philotas junction blockade, also on Egnatia Odos. The blockade involves farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers, members of the Agricultural-Livestock Association of Eastern Eordaia and the Southern Basin of Vegoritis, as well as the Agricultural Association of Amyntaio Municipality.
Larissa: Farmer mobilizations continue at Nikaia blockade – Tempi tunnels closed
Thessalian farmers from the Nikaia blockade proceeded to block the Tempi tunnels, deploying tractors and agricultural machinery and disrupting traffic at the site, while setting fire to hay bales.
The mobilization took place shortly after 11:00 AM, when tractors and agricultural vehicles started organized from the Nikaia blockade and moved towards the Tempi tunnels, implementing in practice the decisions that had been taken in a previous general assembly. **Upon their arrival, farmers blocked the tunnels, which will last 48 hours.** This decision is part of their mobilizations for total road blockade, as decided at the nationwide coordination.
Traffic is conducted through alternative routes, with diversions to Egnatia Odos both for vehicles heading to Thessaloniki and those to Athens, depending on their gross weight. At the same time, the traffic regulations that have already been implemented at the Kileler, Velestino and Platykampos junctions continue to apply.
Trikala: Farmers remain at blockades in Western Thessaly
At the same time, at 2:30 PM the “country was literally cut in two,” as farmers with 120 tractors from the Bralos blockade “blocked” all roads, both on the National Road and on bypasses and the provincial network, and no one can move in any direction.
The decision was taken after consultation with colleagues from Atalanti and Domokos, even before tractors from Karditsa arrived, which are expected within the next hour. Now, passage from Lamia to Athens becomes almost impossible.
Evia: Farmers closed Chalkida High Bridge for two days
Meanwhile, farmers today at 10 AM closed the High Bridge, as they had announced, with the prospect of remaining closed for 2 days demanding satisfaction of their demands.
Four-day blockade of Athens-Lamia highway
At the same time, the Kastro farmers’ blockade proceeded with a four-day blockade of the Athens-Lamia National Road and key points on bypass roads.
The mobilization began at 9 AM on Thursday. Farmers declare they are unwavering and are closing the national road and bypasses at the Kastro Boeotia point where 250 tractors are located.
Traffic police have already proceeded with traffic diversions. Specifically, in the traffic stream from Lamia to Athens, vehicles are diverted from the Atalanti area and directed through the old national road, following the route Kalapodi – Palaios Leventis, continuing to Orchomenos, Livadeia and Thebes, to return to the Athens-Lamia national road at Ritsona, at the 75th kilometer.
Images from Kastro blockade:
Regarding the upward stream to Lamia, traffic diversion is carried out from the height of Ritsona. Vehicles are directed through Thebes and Livadeia, with the final point, so far, being the Bralos area. According to information, new traffic regulations cannot be ruled out, depending on the development of mobilizations.
Farmers characterize Bralos as one of the most crucial points of the national road network and, according to decisions taken in Malgara, expect reinforcements from the Karditsa blockade, as well as from farmers from Atalanti and Domokos. Their goal is to close all bypasses, while they do not rule out even complete blockade of the road network before noon today.
Farmer blockades: Traffic police regulations after Tempi tunnel blockade
The Pieria Police Directorate proceeded with temporary traffic regulations on the Thessaloniki-Athens national road, due to farmer blockades on the road network in the area. Specifically, from the General Regional Police Directorate of Thessaly it was announced that due to additional farmer mobilizations on the PA.TH.E.
