Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has threatened protesting farmers and livestock breeders that they lose the legitimacy of their demands especially when they refuse to engage in dialogue. At the same time, the government is preparing a “Plan B” to deal with the roadblocks with Minister for Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, to have announced upcoming legislation to punish with fines the protesters who block roads and highways.
In an interview with Action 24, the PM added that “citizens suffer” due to the roadblocks especially on the holidays period.
The threats come as the overwhelming majority of protesting farmers are determined to continue their mobilizations with roadblocks.
Mitsotakis stressed that the coming days are critical for Greece’s economic activity and market supply. He acknowledged that the government bears responsibility for the fact that important reforms have not been implemented as quickly as it would have liked, adding that payments [to farmers, breeders etc] will be completed by the end of the year. He also underlined that a new system has been created to ensure that subsidies are provided quickly and transparently.
Mitsotakis noted that there are 400,000 professional farmers in Greece, while there may be around 4,000 tractors at the roadblocks. “We do not want to speak only to those who are at the roadblocks, but also to the vast majority of farmers and livestock breeders who are not there and who face real problems,” he said, estimating that many of those participating in the roadblocks are in favor of dialogue.
“And there are some who are essentially bullying them, based on the logic of not breaking ranks and systematically opposing the government. But if we want to find a solution to this issue, it can only come through honest dialogue, not through actions that are supposedly aimed at harming the government but ultimately cause hardship for society as a whole,” he stressed.
Protesting farmers have scheduled a broader meeting on Saturday, January 3, 2026, to take new decisions on their mobilization.
