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Farmers' protest in Greece escalates/New blockades, pressure on the government and calls for dialogue

2025-12-08 09:15:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Farmers' protest in Greece escalates/New blockades, pressure on the

Farmers' protests in Greece are taking on new dimensions, with expanded road blockades and warnings of port and airport closures this week. Farmers say they are ready to spend Christmas on the streets if their main demands, including the payment of OPEC payments and new support measures, are not met.

Political pressure on the government

The escalation of the mobilizations has created a climate of pressure on the Greek government, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis twice signaled readiness for dialogue over the weekend. However, government officials estimate that the time for talks may be distant, as the protesters have not yet designated an official representative for talks — something that is expected to happen in the coming days.

Farmers, according to government estimates, are willing to play the delay game to exert maximum pressure on the authorities.

New blockades on roads, ports and key points

At a general meeting on Sunday, the farmers decided to block the side roads for two hours today, Monday, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

On Wednesday, the Port of Volos was blocked by land and sea.

Blockade of the Kastron checkpoint in Boeotia, which has already begun. The spread of blockades on the main Athens-Thessaloniki highway has made traffic very difficult and with long delays. The police are expected to test again their strategy for protecting critical infrastructure, including ports and airports.

Mitsotakis: Solutions come through dialogue

Prime Minister Mitsotakis, in a message published on Sunday, stated that the vast majority of farmers are honest and that any amount due to them will be paid in full. He stressed that abuses of subsidies must be stopped, adding:

“Farmers have the right to demand more and better. But solutions come through dialogue. Blockades can exert pressure, but they make everyone's daily lives difficult.”

He recalled that the 2024 mobilizations were resolved after high-level talks and that the Ministry of Rural Development always remains open to organized dialogue.

Political support for protesters and criticism of the government

Two former Greek prime ministers, Costas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras, showed support for the farmers' demands.

Karamanlis said that the problems of the rural world have become "matters of survival" and require increased sensitivity and care. Samaras, more critical, accused the government of not dealing with the real problems of farmers and warned that "without farmers there is no country."

The government is looking for broader solutions

Government sources admit that even if OPEC payments are made in full, broader measures will be needed to avert a crisis and stop mobilizations. The possibility of extending the reduced energy tariff (9.2 cents/KWh) was left open, but farmers' organizations say this measure is not enough.

Protests are expected to intensify during the week, as the government prepares for dialogue and at the same time for new scenarios of blockades in the country's most important infrastructure./ CNA