On Friday afternoon, farmers in Thessaly blocked a bypass road leading to and from Larissa for three hours using tractors and combine harvesters. The Platykaambo junction is also closed. Tractors are positioned on the old National Road Larissa-Volos, blocking traffic at the Platykaambo junction and near the village of Achilleio. This has mobilized the police to manage smooth vehicle traffic by diverting it through alternative routes.

Long queues also formed at Promachonas, where farmers blocked the border checkpoint for international transport trucks at midday. However, the checkpoint reopened after 5:00 PM.

Earlier, farmers at the Bralos blockade closed the bypass road at kilometer 175 leading from Lamia to Thebes and Livadeia, causing vehicle queues on the Ritsona detour. According to Star, at 6:00 PM for three hours, farmers at the Chalkida blockade will close both the high bridge and the old bridge, effectively cutting off Evia from mainland Greece.

At the Malgara toll station, one lane heading towards Thessaloniki was opened to ease traffic, resulting in no queues. Meanwhile, farmers at the Chalkidona blockade closed the old National Road Thessaloniki-Edessa for two hours.

Traffic arrangements to avoid the Bralos blockade on side roads

Traffic towards Athens

• All vehicles (except trucks) traveling on the A.TH.E. motorway towards Athens will be diverted at the Anthili interchange (km 209.984) via the A.TH.E. side road, entering the Herakleia-Damasta provincial road, then through Kato Damasta onto the Thermopylae-Itea National Road (km 3).
• At km 21.000 of the Thermopylae-Itea National Road, they will be diverted onto the old Lamia-Livadia National Road, then through the Livadia-Thebes old road and the Ritsona interchange, rejoining the A.TH.E. motorway.
• All vehicles (except trucks) on the E65 motorway towards Athens will be diverted at the Komma interchange (km 5.700) towards the A.TH.E. motorway (northbound).
• Then, at the Roditsa interchange (km 212.575 of A.TH.E.) they will be diverted towards Lamia, and through the Serdaris interchange onto the A.TH.E. side road, following the same route as above.
• All trucks traveling on A.TH.E. and E65 towards Athens will be temporarily parked at service stations as directed by the traffic police.

Traffic towards Thessaloniki

• All vehicles (except trucks) on A.TH.E. motorway towards Thessaloniki will be diverted at the Skarfeia interchange (km 185.127), then via the Komnina-Regini provincial road and Atalanti-Exarchos provincial road onto the old Lamia-Livadia National Road (km 58.500).
• Then onto the Thermopylae-Itea National Road (km 21.000), at km 13.000 diverted left onto the Athens-Lamia old road, and via the Komma interchange and connecting road will re-enter A.TH.E.
• Trucks traveling on A.TH.E. towards Thessaloniki will be temporarily parked at service stations as directed.
• Trucks on Thermopylae-Itea National Road may also park at service stations or be diverted at km 13.000 onto the Athens-Lamia old road towards Kato Herakleia.

Farmers’ decisions on side roads

According to lamiareport.gr, participants at the Lefkonas Serres meeting decided to escalate the protests.

Each blockade now decides how many hours they can close side roads based on their strength, in line with the general assembly’s decisions.

The Bralos blockade decided to close side roads on Friday from 2 PM to 5 PM.

Similar decisions have reportedly been made by other national road blockades, such as the central one in Nikaia and the two major blockades in Boeotia at Kastro and Thebes.

On Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21, the blockades’ general assembly decided to open toll stations, facilitating some travel. Opening times and days will be decided by each blockade.

The goal is to repeat the three-hour closure of side roads on Monday, December 22, and then, in coordination with the police, to open the main blockades for three days, allowing two traffic lanes to remain open for holiday travelers.

The first blockage took place on a service road on the Athens–Thessaloniki section, leading to traffic congestion on the Ritsona bypass.

Specifically, farmers from the Bralos roadblock blocked the service road at the 175th kilometer, which connects Lamia with Thiva and Livadeia. According to Star TV, at 18:00, farmers from the Chalkida roadblock will block both the new high bridge and the old bridge for three hours, cutting off Evia from mainland Greece.

Farmers’ decisions on road blockages

According to lamiareport.gr, participants in a farmers’ meeting in Lefkonas, Serres, decided to intensify their protests.

Each roadblock will now decide how many hours it can close service roads, depending on the number of participants, in line with the decisions of the general assembly.

The Bralos roadblock decided to close service roads on Friday from 14:00 to 17:00.

Similar decisions have reportedly been made by other roadblocks, including the main one in Nikaia and two major roadblocks in Boeotia, at Kastro and Thiva.

On Saturday 20 December and Sunday, 21 December, the general assembly of roadblocks decided to open toll stations to ease travel. Each roadblock will decide the specific hours and day.

The plan is to repeat the three-hour service road closures on Monday, 22 December, and then, in coordination with the police, open the main roadblocks for three days, allowing two lanes of traffic so that most holiday travelers can move more easily.