With more than one thousand tractors deployed on the highways in central Greece protesting farmers continue their mass mobilization for a second consecutive day on Monday, December 1, “struggling for their survival” as they say characteristically.
“We are not going anywhere, we’re not leaving before our demands are fulfilled,” they stress adding that “our existence is at risk.”
Many farmers complained to media that they are in debts to their suppliers since the subsidies this year either arrived “late and essentially decreased” due to the OPEKEPE scandal or not at all. Livestock breeders appeal again and again to the government to allow the vaccination of their animals for sheep and goat small pox to save them from mass culling. Almost half a million animals have been culled since August 2024.
Things turned ugly on Sunday, when protesters tried to break the police barriers and move to the highway.
Old highway Larissa-Volos at noon Sunday, November 30, via local onlarissa.gr
Police officers used their batons and tear gas and detained three unionists, thus breaking the rib of one of them, who is being hospitalized.
While crucial decisions for the continuation of the protests are to be taken on Monday afternoon. Many farmers and breeders seem to favor that the protests continue until Christmas.
With many blockades mainly in central Greece and around the city of Larissa, the country remains “cut into two” with protesters occasionally to allow a certain number of private and commercial vehicles to drive through.
Police has diverted traffic through old national roads and motorists are advised to follow the instructions.
