Farmers Escalate Protests as Standoff With Government Deepens

Farmers across Greece are intensifying nationwide blockades as their standoff with the government shows no signs of easing. Roadways, ports, airports and border crossings have been disrupted for days, with farmers refusing to participate in negotiations unless they can continue their demonstrations without conditions.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated that the government’s “door is always open,” but insisted that any dialogue must occur with the “roads open.” Farmers have dismissed this approach, calling it a non-starter and accusing the government of attempting to undermine their leverage.

The situation has escalated into a test of strength between the two sides. Government officials emphasize the need to maintain “law and order,” warning of the financial toll blockades impose on other sectors. Their expectation that tensions would ease as subsidy payments continue through the holiday period has not materialized. Instead, farmers have gained public backing from opposition parties and even from former prime ministers Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras.

Government remarks describing the protests as “extreme mobilizations” further inflamed tensions, especially after violent clashes erupted between demonstrators and police at the airports of Chania and Heraklion. Early government briefings suggested that protesters involved in the incidents could face severe charges, including forming a criminal organization.

Political friction intensified when Mitsotakis appeared to indirectly criticize past New Democracy administrations for granting benefits to farmers that later violated European Union rules. He argued that the government would not repeat “mistakes of previous eras” by offering funds that could not be justified under EU regulations. His comments were widely interpreted as an implicit reference to a past government decision that later resulted in Greece being ordered to return certain payments.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis echoed this stance, saying the current administration has moved away from the long-standing practice of “promising everything to everyone,” hinting at past political mismanagement of agricultural crises.

Despite the tough rhetoric, government sources indicate that ministries are exploring ways to address some farmer demands. Measures under consideration include adjusting fuel allotments for agricultural use by crop type and expanding a program that offers reduced electricity prices. Officials also say ongoing payments will continue immediately, including support measures expected to raise total disbursements to more than €1 billion by year’s end.

For now, though, both sides are holding firm—farmers on their blockades, and the government on its conditions for talks—leaving the country bracing for a prolonged confrontation.

Source: tovima.com