In coordination with the Maximos Mansion, Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras is convening a broad briefing today at 15:00 with ND MPs at the party’s headquarters on Piraeus Street, aiming to clarify the status of agricultural payments and respond to mounting concerns.

This renewed round of consultations comes as quiet but notable political activity unfolds behind the scenes, with a possible meeting between the government and farmers expected in the coming days.

Return to Piraeus Amid Pressure

Tsiaras—who repeatedly stresses that his “door is open” for dialogue—returns to Piraeus for the first time in nearly two months since his previous briefing with ND MPs.
During that earlier session, he had disclosed for the first time two letters from the European Commission that effectively issued a deadline for the government to complete the action plan for agricultural payments.

The minister had then faced significant pushback, with several MPs questioning even the decision to place OPEKEPE under the jurisdiction of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).

Today’s briefing, however, takes place with one new advantage: the payment schedule has now been set. Payments are expected to be completed by the end of December, amounting to €3.7 billion for 2025.

The Warning Shot From the “Group of Six”

The meeting with MPs follows yesterday’s sharp intervention by six ND MPs from northern Greece, who criticized the Ministry of Rural Development and OPEKEPE over the exclusion of numerous beneficiaries from payments under Measure 23.

The MPs argued that €21 million from the program’s total €175 million budget was never released, linking the issue to the ongoing controversy over ATAC—a documentation requirement that has fueled tensions with farmers.
The statement was signed by:

• Fotini Arampatzi (Serres), former Deputy Minister of Rural Development
• Nikos Panagiotopoulos
• Giannis Paschalidis (Kavala)
• Theodoros Karaoglou (B’ Thessaloniki)
• Giannis Giorgos (Halkidiki)
• Dimitris Kyriazidis (Drama)

Senior ministry sources responded to Protothema saying that the unpaid beneficiaries are currently undergoing cross-checks and will be paid by year’s end. Later, OPEKEPE clarified that payments were withheld where discrepancies greater than five stremmas were found between a landowner’s declared acreage in the E9 tax form and the acreage recorded in the OΣΔΕ database.

The “statement of the six” underscores the tense climate within ND’s parliamentary group ahead of Friday’s meeting at 12:00—just before the debate and vote on the state budget. Apart from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, several MPs are also expected to speak, raising the stakes further.

Heightened Operational Readiness

Meanwhile, authorities are preparing for an escalation on the ground. Farmers and livestock breeders are intensifying their mobilisations starting today, planning to blockade major ports including Volos, Igoumenitsa, and Thessaloniki. The first demonstration is expected today in the capital of Magnesia.

The government’s reinforced operational strategy follows an order from Supreme Court Prosecutor Konstantinos Tzavellas, instructing local prosecutors to pursue charges—where appropriate—for obstructing transportation.

Yesterday, ahead of the KYSEA meeting, Prime Minister Mitsotakis discussed the situation directly with Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis. The minister has reportedly emphasized that anyone engaging in violence against police will face prosecution. At the same time, he has instructed police forces to act in a way that avoids injuries to farmers and livestock breeders.