Farmers unanimously decided during their nationwide meeting in Malgara to proceed with a 48-hour blockade of roads, service roads and customs checkpoints on Thursday and Friday. In effect, they accepted the proposal put forward by the Nikaia roadblock, which called for an escalation of the protests in this manner.

According to their representative, Kostas Anestidis, no roadblock backed down, with all participants insisting on continuing and intensifying the mobilizations.

Speaking on behalf of the Nikaia roadblock, Rizos Maroudas said that farmers are fighting for their survival and that the government must provide answers. “We don’t want to go to the Maximos Mansion for coffee,” Maroudas told state broadcaster ERT. Farmers plan to shut down “strategic points” on the Egnatia Odos, the Ionia Odos, the national highway at Tempi and Bralos, as well as routes in the Peloponnese.

Meanwhile, Kostas Tzellas, representative of the Karditsa (E-65) roadblock, said that after 35 days of protests, responsibility now lies with the government to initiate sincere and meaningful dialogue. Otherwise, he warned, farmers will proceed with the blockades on Thursday and Friday. He described the prime minister’s invitations for dialogue as merely token gestures.