Shortly after eight in the morning is expected to start the convoy of farmers with tractors from the Castle of Boeotia, where they stayed overnight yesterday, while at the same time buses with farmers from Peloponnese (they will meet in Megara), Crete and other regions of the country have started the march with cars, farm vehicles and buses to the capital.
The farmers, who are talking about a “triple-digit number” of tractors descending on Athens (reportedly around 150-200 are expected), plan to spend the night in the capital tonight and make their way back tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, referring to today’s agricultural rally, said yesterday that such mobilisations also give him a means of exerting pressure on Brussels.
Early this morning, farmers from Crete arrived at the port of Piraeus to take part in the afternoon rally in central Athens.
Based on the plan so far, the convoy is expected to arrive today at around 11 to 12 noon at the Aphidna toll road where the police will be waiting to escort them so that they can enter the city centre in a coordinated manner.
Similar measures are in place in Megara for the farmers of the Peloponnese.
The rally of the farmers in the centre of Athens will start at 17:30, while the all-farmers rally will start at 18:30.
So far, it has been decided – after a meeting under the Minister of Civil Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis – that all tractors and agricultural vehicles will move from the national highway and Kifissos Avenue to Athens Avenue.
Then, accompanied by a police force, they will move in the opposite direction to Karaiskaki Square via Achilleos Street and to Omonia Square, where they will park, before going uphill in the opposite direction to Panepistimiou until Syntagma Square
. A temporary traffic stop will be in effect on all these roads, as well as on Amalias -Vasilissis Sophia and on all roads perpendicular to them.
Buses transporting farmers are scheduled to park at the Olympic Stadium.
The Greek Police has put in place emergency measures due to today’s agricultural mobilizations in the center of Athens, while suggesting citizens to avoid travelling by car if not necessary.
As far as traffic regulations are concerned, a temporary traffic stop will be in effect from noon along the route to be followed by the agricultural vehicles, specifically in the section Athens Avenue, Achilleos, Karaiskaki Square.
The tractors will move in the opposite direction on Agios Konstantinos Street, Omonia Square and Panepistimiou Street, in order to reach Syntagma.
In this context, there will be a temporary stop of traffic around Omonia Square.
Subsequently, traffic will be stopped on Amalias Avenue, Panepistimiou Street, Vassilissis Sophia Avenue and all roads perpendicular to them.
Traffic on Vassilissis Sofias will be stopped from the height of the Parliament and on the descent will be up to Sekeri Street. Vehicles travelling on Akademias Street will be directed only to the ascent of Vasilissis Sofias.
