Farmers and breeders have been escalating their protests as of Thursday, January 8, planning blockades of crucial highways with the aim to cut the country in two until Friday night, while there are consideration to extend the blockades even for another two days, until Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Around 1 o’ clock early afternoon, a convoy of 140 tractors and agricultural machinery arrived at the tunnels of Tempi national highway connecting Athens with Lamia, Central Greece. They closed both lanes of the motorway and set bales of straw on fire.
video and pictures via local onlarissa.gr 
At the same time, Malgara highway near Thessaloniki was closed in both directions.
Tractors remained parked on highways in Lamia, Thebes, Trikala, Nikaia, Karditsa, and other parts of the country, while the 48-hour blockade at the customs offices of Promachonas, Exohi, Evzoni and Niki began also on Thursday.
Blockades are taking place also in Peloponnese and Epirus, western Greece.
Despite the government’s announcements of support measures on Wednesday and invitation to a dialogue, the farmers’ associations stressed that there are still critical issues of vital importance to the existence and sustainability of the primary sector that have not been addressed.
- Athens-Lamia highway closed for 4 days, High Bridge in Halkida blocked, blockades at customs crossings.
- Traveling by car or lorry on the national roads is a challenger for drivers as all the main roads are blocked.
- The decisions of the farmers to continue their blockades were taken after the government announcements.
Blockades MAP
In addition to the main highways, the customs crossings of Promachonas and Exochi, on the borders of Greece with Bulgaria, as well as Evzonoi and Niki, on the country’s borders with North Macedonia, will be blocked, as well.
Aim of protesters is to cut Greece in two.
🚜 Οι αγρότες κλιμακώνουν τον αγώνα και "κόβουν" την Ελλάδα στα δύο.
🎞️ Orange Press Agency#αγροτες pic.twitter.com/8WjIg4ZrJx
— NEWS 24/7 (@News247gr) January 8, 2026
The farmers point out that the government announcements do not satisfy them, as – as they claim – they do not respond to the demands they have put forward in the context of their mobilizations.
Speaking to media, protesting farmers stressed that they want sustainability for the future of the country’s primary sector.
They claimed that many of their colleagues are in debts, they cannot provide for their families and consider to abandon agriculture and seek other jobs.
The farmers declare their unyielding determination and after yesterday’s announcements, they began a 48-hour blockade of the site, as decided at yesterday’s General Assembly at the Nikaia blockade.
Traffic police redirects cars, trucks and buses to alternative routes mostly via side roads through villages, while in some areas traffic has been suspended altogether.
At the same time, the farmers requested a meeting with the prime minister, to satisfy what they say are their justified demands for survival.
However, the government remains adamant with its decision, saying via government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis: “There is no fiscal room for other measures for farmers. We have shown great tolerance.”
Protesting farmers and breeders remain at the blockades for now 40 days, since November 30, 2025.
Farmers are in deadlock also with their protests, but also the government must do more than some temporary measures, a long and thorough plan for the sustainability of the country’s primary sector.
PS thorough government plan? Not in Greece, pals.
