The planned meeting between farmers and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion tomorrow afternoon is up in the air, as the so-called “hardline” roadblocks disagree over the composition of their representative committees. At this time, the coordination committee of the Thessaly roadblocks is meeting in Platykampos, followed by assemblies at the roadblocks themselves, including the Nikaia roadblock, which has taken the toughest stance. If the delegation they propose is not accepted, they say they will not enter the Maximos Mansion.

More specifically, the Maximos Mansion agreed to receive two separate delegations of 20 people each: one consisting of farmers at 1:00 p.m., and a second including representatives of livestock breeders, beekeepers, and fishermen, as well as farmers from Crete and from Thessaloniki’s “Green Lanterns” area, immediately afterward.

The government requested that individuals with pending criminal cases not participate in the delegations. Representatives of the roadblocks, however, appear to insist on the participation of more people, including Giorgos Terzakis, president of the Magnesia livestock breeders, who previously smashed the windshield of a police vehicle with his shepherd’s staff and is facing prosecution.

Meanwhile, the “hardline” Nikaia roadblock has made it clear that it will not attend the meeting at the Maximos Mansion unless 25–35 representatives of the farming community are present at each meeting.

At the same time, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated that “the prime minister does not operate under ultimatum-style conditions,” adding that dialogue cannot proceed with those who do not believe in reaching a solution.

Briefing of Political Correspondents by Government Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis (12/1/26)

As he explained, two consecutive meetings have been scheduled because “they did not want to be in the same meeting with certain others,” reiterating that “the government—and even more so the prime minister—cannot function under ultimata.”

According to Marinakis, the government’s aim is to engage in dialogue with all representatives of the primary sector, which is why one meeting has been planned with one group of protest representatives, as requested, and a second meeting with those who do not wish to participate in the same process.

The government spokesperson also stressed that, for security reasons, the names of participants are required, noting that in order for discussions to be productive, a maximum limit of 20 participants per meeting has been set.

“We have made it clear that this cannot turn into a gathering where nothing gets resolved,” he said, adding that if there is a positive response, the prime minister and the government delegation are ready to receive farmers’ representatives, most likely tomorrow afternoon.

At the same time, representatives of the nationwide roadblocks committee say that, based on current conditions, they will not attend the meeting with Mitsotakis. Final decisions are expected to be made later in the afternoon during general assemblies.

Indicative of the prevailing climate was a statement by Rizos Maroudas, president of the United Federation of Agricultural Associations of Larissa, who told public broadcaster ERT:
“If all 35 of us do not attend tomorrow’s meeting, the prevailing tendency is not to go at all.”

It is noted that even if farmers do not go to the Maximos Mansion and the first meeting scheduled for 1:00 p.m. does not take place, this does not necessarily mean that the second meeting with the other committee will be canceled.