Farmers and livestock producers attending the nationwide meeting of agricultural blockades in Lefkonas, Serres, stated that they intend to remain mobilized and continue their actions.

The meeting, which began at 2:30 p.m., is considered important, as representatives from blockades across the country are expected to decide on next steps, including whether to engage in dialogue with the government. According to participants, a negative response is anticipated, as their submitted demands have not been met and no clear responses have been received. They also cited recent developments involving ELGA, where farmers reported discovering that funds had been withheld from their bank accounts without the payment of basic aid, as contributing to heightened tensions.

Kostas Tzellas, a representative of the Karditsa blockade, said that agricultural machinery would remain on the roads, noting that the government has not offered what farmers consider substantive solutions. He added that participants question the effectiveness of the proposed dialogue and will collectively determine future actions.

Regarding the holiday period, representatives stated that farmers aim to avoid causing difficulties for the public. Discussions are underway on whether tractors will be moved aside during Christmas and the New Year to facilitate traffic.

Socrates Aliftiras, vice president of the Larissa Federation of Agricultural Associations and spokesperson for the federation, said that government announcements do not address the demands submitted by farmers. He emphasized that maintaining public support is a priority and noted that during the Christmas period, measures would be taken to ease travel, including repositioning tractors to allow vehicles to pass more easily.

At the opening of the nationwide meeting, Giannis Tourtouras, president of the Serres Farmers’ Association, said that participants intend to continue their mobilizations, expressing dissatisfaction with the current proposals and reaffirming their commitment to collective action.

Despite maintaining their position, blockade representatives reiterated that during the holiday period, they plan to facilitate the movement of citizens by opening blockades and positioning tractors at the side of roadways to minimize disruption.

Separately, farmers at the Promachonas blockade announced that a truck blockade would begin at 12:00 p.m. today and continue until further notice. Further decisions are expected following a general assembly after the conclusion of the Panhellenic Blockade Committee meeting. Following the start of the blockade, long queues of trucks were reported on both the Greek and Bulgarian sides of the border.