Farmers and livestock breeders across Greece stepped up road blockades on Monday as protests spread nationwide, with unions planning new assemblies to decide their next moves. Around 20 blockades are in place, with thousands of tractors parked on highways and regional roads as farmers protest an estimated €600 million shortfall in EU subsidies and other payments, which remain frozen amid a corruption investigation into agricultural aid distribution.
In Nikaia, in the Larissa region of Thessaly, about 4,000 tractors remained lined up. Farmers planned to block local side roads on Monday and close the port of Volos on Wednesday.
Three blockades continued on the Athens-Lamia (E75) national highway at Thiva, Kastro and Bralos, while a new protest point was expected at Atalanti.
Two blockades were also in place on the E65 motorway and another two on the Ionia Odos. The Egnatia Odos remained closed at three locations. Traffic reopened on the Xanthi-Komotini section in one direction, but the opposite lane stayed shut.
In Central Macedonia, farmers planned a coordination meeting on Monday in Trilofos, in Thessaloniki’s Thermi municipality, to decide further action.
In Thessaloniki, a fourth blockade was set up, adding to existing ones at Langadas, Prasina Fanaria, Halkidona and Malagra. Georgikis Scholis Avenue reopened on Sunday, but the Mikrothives blockade on the Karditsa-Volos highway remained in place.
In Skydra, about 200 tractors blocked the local customs office and part of the Edessa-Veria road.
Border crossings at Kipoi, Exochi, Evzoni and Niki remained closed to trucks, though the Promachonas checkpoint with Bulgaria reopened on Sunday afternoon.
In Ioannina in western Greece, farmers extended a blockade at the city’s airport, arriving with tractors and, as they said, their children – “the next generation of livestock breeders.”
At Kato Achaia on the Olympia Odos south of Patra, farmers left their blockade to decide their next steps. Traffic on the Patra-Pyrgos highway has been restored, but the new motorway will remain closed until further notice.
The Evinos bridge on the Antirrio-Messolongi national highway also remained closed.
On the southern island of Crete, farmers scheduled a rally for noon, while protesters in Hania began a 48-hour blockade at Megala Horafia on the motorway linking Hania and Rethymno. [AMNA]