Farmers from all over Greece are heading towards Athens with tractors, agricultural machinery, buses, ships, and rural passenger cars, to take part in a nationwide protest demanding the government accept a series of demands they presented to the PM in a meeting last week.
Police estimate that between 150-180 tractors will arrive in Athens, while buses with farmers from the Peloponnese, Crete, and other parts of the country have started their journey to the capital.
“Athens, we are coming!” is their slogan, as the protesters are scheduled to converge at the Parliament building in Syntagma Square in the evening (5.30-6.30), along with labor unions and representatives of Attica calling for mass participation in the rally.
On the way to Athens, protesters from Karditsa, Larissa, Lamia, and Volos in central Greece were joined by other farmers along the way, such as those from Evia who had already started moving towards the capital. Meanwhile, farmers from Crete have arrived in Piraeus, while farmers with machinery or buses from all over the country are on their way.
Police have implemented a series of traffic regulations that will take effect from noon.
Temporary traffic stoppage along the routes of Athens Avenue (Leoforos Athinon), Achilleos Street, and Karaiskaki Square.
The tractors will move in the upward stream of traffic (opposite lane) on Agiou Konstantinou Street, Omonia Square, and Panepistimiou Street, before arriving at Syntagma Square in front of the Greek Parliament building, while there will also be a temporary traffic stoppage in side streets and routes around Omonia Square.
There will be a traffic stoppage for vehicles on Amalias Avenue, Panepistimiou Street, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, and all perpendicular streets to these roads.
Vasilissis Sofias Avenue will be closed from the height of the Parliament building, and traffic in the downward stream will be directed up to Sekeri Street.
Vehicles moving on Akadimias Street will be directed only towards the ascent of Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.
Speaking to Greek television a police spokesperson said that temporary traffic regulations will take effect after noon. The spokesperson stressed that the Athens Metro would not shut down, adding: “Temporary traffic stops are expected to begin along the entire route that the farmers will follow, from Kifissou Avenue, Athens, and then on to Achilleos, Omonia until they reach the University where the farmers will park, and of course Amalias Avenue in Syntagma, where the last agricultural machinery will be. There, at 6:00 in the afternoon, a protest rally will take place”.
