In a statement issued on Sunday morning, Marinakis said the government had called for dialogue from the beginning of the mobilizations and noted that payments are being made according to schedule. He urged those who continue to refuse talks to move away from what he described as an outdated approach of confrontation, adding that the Prime Minister had already set a specific date for a meeting.

Marinakis said the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue is sincere and that the framework it has proposed addresses the majority of the demands raised by farmers and livestock breeders, building on measures implemented in recent years to resolve long-standing issues in the agricultural sector. He also said payments are proceeding as planned.

In his statement, Marinakis said that, although delayed, more representatives of the farmers’ mobilizations now appear to recognize the need to come to the table for dialogue, describing this as an encouraging development. He added that those still rejecting dialogue should reconsider, arguing that continued confrontation has placed significant strain on society. He said solutions can be reached only through dialogue.

The government’s comments follow developments within the farmers’ mobilizations, where nearly 30 days passed before the first split appeared in what had previously been a unified front of road blockades.
The announcement that some blockades are changing their stance and opening the door to dialogue prompted strong reactions from the Nikaia coordination center. Questions were raised about the timing of the move and whether those representatives had previously participated in the collective decision-making process of the Panhellenic Committee of Road Blockades.
Representatives in Nikaia said the blockades now taking a different position had participated in nationwide meetings before the mobilizations began and had accepted the common framework of demands. Strong criticism was directed at them.
Those adopting a different stance responded that they attended the meetings as observers rather than as members of the committee, leading to further disagreement over who represents whom in any potential negotiations with the government.

Despite these developments, representatives of the Nikaia blockade said the change in stance does not alter plans to escalate actions after the New Year. Final decisions are expected at a nationwide meeting, likely to be held on Saturday, January 3.

Until then, actions such as opening toll stations and symbolic closures of service roads are planned. Next Tuesday, traffic facilitation measures are expected to be implemented for the return of New Year holiday travelers, following the approach used during Christmas.
According to the farmers, the key issue remains the position the government will take after the holiday period, while the road blockades continue to remain in place on the national road network. This is seen as decisive in determining whether a meeting between the two sides will take place and under what conditions.