Farmers continue to reinforce the dozens of roadblocks set up across the country, while today their colleagues in Crete also begin mobilizations.

They will also proceed with short-term closures of bypass roads along national highways, completely stopping traffic, while at the same time blockades continue at customs posts in northern Greece.

The plan also includes — on Wednesday — a blockade of the port of Volos both from land and sea.

As protothema.gr reported on Monday morning, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Deputy Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Rural Development are waiting for some indication from the farming roadblocks regarding the form of representation they propose for a dialogue with the government — but no such indication has yet been made.

Thessaly

The national highway at the Nikaia junction remains closed today, with tractors lined up and farmers determined not to back down unless substantive responses are given to their demands.

Today, Monday 8 December, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the closure of the side roads around the Nikaia roadblock is already being implemented. This action increases pressure on the state as farmers try to highlight their demands more forcefully.

The assembly also decided to continue and expand mobilizations throughout Thessaly. Thus, on Wednesday 10 December at 10 a.m., farmers from the three major roadblocks of Thessaly will join forces with fishermen from Magnesia, proceeding to block the port of Volos.

On Thursday 11 December at 5:30 p.m., farmers issue an open call to all unions, associations, and civic organizations of Larissa to participate in a citywide gathering at the Nikaia roadblock.

Farmers in western Thessaly also remain at their roadblocks: Karditsa farmers at the E65 motorway and Trikala farmers at the Longos tolls on the E65. These are reinforced daily with new tractors from many areas of the two prefectures, and farmers say they will continue and escalate their struggle to survive and stay in their land.

Central Greece

After last night’s assembly at the Bralos roadblock, farmers decided to close all bypass roads today for one hour, from 12:00 to 13:00. They warn they will continue this tactic at set times during the day. This means traffic between Athens and Lamia in both directions will not be possible.

At the Atalanti roadblock, set up yesterday, farmers are coordinating to expand their presence through contacts with colleagues for joint actions. At the Kastro roadblock, farmers of the Livadia area are expected today to decide on further escalation.

In Thebes, farmers remain in place blocking the junction. In Domokos, farmers continue to periodically block both the old national road and access to the E65 — a tactic followed also yesterday.

Peloponnese

In Achaia, farmers and livestock breeders have blocked the new Patras–Pyrgos motorway near Kato Achaia, while those from Aigialeia have set up a blockade at the Selinountas bridge in Aigio, where they carry out short-term closures of the Patras–Corinth motorway daily.

In Ilia, farmers and livestock breeders have a roadblock at the Pyrgos junction and daily block the Patras–Pyrgos highway for short periods.

Western Greece

Since Saturday afternoon, farmers and livestock breeders of Aetolia-Acarnania have blocked the Antirrio–Ioannina motorway at the Angelokastro tolls near Agrinio. They are also considering opening the tolls of the Rio–Antirrio bridge on Wednesday.

Farmers and livestock breeders of Nafpaktia and Dorida have parked tractors at the Mornos bridge, where they already carried out their first symbolic blockade. Those from the Messolongi area have blocked the Evinos bridge, also staging a symbolic closure.

Mobilizations have also begun in Vonitsa and Aktio.

Epirus

In Epirus, farmers and livestock breeders of Arta closed the Peta junction on the Ionian Highway in both directions. They are determined to remain, and traffic is being diverted through bypass roads.

In the Ioannina prefecture, after blocking the Ioannina Airport, farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers returned with tractors to Kalpaki, where they have maintained a roadblock for a week.

Tractors also remain at Louros by farmers of Preveza, while in Igoumenitsa there will be a gathering on Thursday at 11 a.m., followed by a march of tractors to the international port, where a blockade is expected.

Crete

Farmers and livestock breeders in Crete are launching their mobilizations today at 11:30 a.m. The gathering in eastern Crete is scheduled outside the Pancretan Stadium in Heraklion, from where a vehicle convoy will begin.

As stated in recent days by Vassilis Manouras, president of the Pancretan Coordinating Committee and president of the Anogeia Livestock Association, “the plan is to proceed with a blockade of the port of Heraklion and the ‘N. Kazantzakis’ airport.”

Farmers from Sitia and Ierapetra will join, meeting in Pachia Ammos before marching in convoy to Heraklion. Farmers from Agios Nikolaos will merge with them near Malia, and participants from eastern Rethymno will also join.

Blockades at Customs Posts

Long-lasting blockades are planned today at the border customs posts of Evzoni and Niki (Greece–North Macedonia), as well as Promachonas and Exochi (Greece–Bulgaria). The blockades affect both entry and exit.

• Evzoni: Four-hour blockade until 16:00. Farmers say the customs post may close again from 18:00 until late evening, depending on a general assembly decision today. The blockade, set up on 1 December, includes producers from Paionia, Giannitsa, and Kilkis, with support from other labor unions.
• Promachonas: Eight-hour blockade until 20:00 for trucks only. Cars and buses pass freely.
• Exochi: Nine-hour blockade until 21:00 by farmers from Nevrokopi. During closure hours, all truck traffic is banned; cars and tourist buses use bypass routes.
• Niki: Two-hour blockade from 11:00 a.m., with potential for more actions in the afternoon. Significant escalation is expected from tomorrow.

The escalation of farmers’ protests, the increase in blockades, and above all the uncompromising stance of producers—who say they are ready to spend Christmas on the road if their key demands are not met beyond payment of outstanding funds from OPEKEPE—create an environment of political pressure for the government.

Although over the weekend Kyriakos Mitsotakis twice signaled willingness for dialogue with protesting producers, the time for talks appears to be distant, as there is still no coordinating body for the blockades—something expected to form in the coming days. Government officials also believe that farmers are prepared to “play for time” in an attempt to exert greater pressure.

Both at the Maximos Mansion, the deputy prime minister’s office, and the Ministry of Rural Development, officials are waiting for some indication from the blockades regarding how they might be represented in a dialogue with the government, but no such indication has yet been given. Meanwhile, this week the police strategy to protect critical infrastructure such as ports and airports will be tested again, as farmers in many regions plan moves aimed at blocking them. Already, the multiplication of blockades along the Athens–Thessaloniki National Highway has made the route more complicated and time-consuming.

In a general assembly held Sunday morning, farmers decided that today, Monday, they will impose a two-hour blockade (17:00–19:00) of bypass roads and, on Wednesday, they will block the port of Volos by land and sea, while blockades have also been set up at Kastro in Viotia.

Call for dialogue
In this context, Mr. Mitsotakis enters the debate by inviting farmers and livestock breeders to talks. He did so on Saturday from Markopoulo and again on Sunday via a public statement. After all, the farmers’ protests in early 2024 concluded after negotiations at the highest level.

“Honest farmers and livestock breeders, who are the overwhelming majority, have nothing to fear. They will receive every euro they are entitled to. But a problematic system of subsidy collection that favored opportunists must end,” Mr. Mitsotakis said in his Sunday message. “Farmers have every right to demand more and better. But solutions come through dialogue. Extreme forms of protest, like blockades, may express pressure, but ultimately they complicate daily life for everyone and do not help us move forward faster. The door of the Ministry of Rural Development is and will always remain open for discussion with farmers who come in an organized manner, with specific representation and concrete demands,” he added, noting that the government has supported and will continue to support farmers.

For the government, the farmers’ issue is proving highly complex—partly because a large portion of society currently views farmers positively, and partly due to political wear the government is experiencing in rural constituencies.

Senior government sources also acknowledge to protothema.gr that even if all farmers are fully paid what they are owed, broader discussions will still be required to put an end to the protests. In this context, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis on Saturday left wide open the possibility of extending the cheap electricity scheme—currently fixed at €0.092/kWh. However, this alone is not sufficient for farmers.

Former leaders weigh in
In this difficult equation, the government once again saw former prime ministers Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras expressing similar views yesterday. Mr. Karamanlis more mildly, Mr. Samaras more sharply—but the final message is the same.

“Real problems, particularly acute in recent years. So acute that they raise issues of survival for large parts of the farming community. That is why we must be especially sensitive and receptive to Greek farmers and livestock breeders. We must listen to their voice, understand their concerns,” Mr. Karamanlis said in a statement. He is expected to return to the issue today in his discussion with former PASOK president Evangelos Venizelos during an event marking 15 years of the newspaper Dimokratia at the old Tobacco Factory.

“The government must finally understand that not everything is communication. There is also society. Farmers do not protest only about delays and unbelievable scandals. They protest mainly about the uncertain future of their production,” Mr. Samaras said in a statement released Sunday afternoon. “Without farmers, there is no country! With the countryside deserted, all of Greece becomes even more vulnerable. We need restructuring of our production—not the… extinction of our producers!” the former prime minister stressed, in yet another intervention on a topical issue and one he has frequently addressed publicly.