Farmers are continuing protests across Greece, blocking roads and main routes with their tractors, saying they would not budge until the government met their demands, which include tax-free diesel fuel and subsidies on animal fodder, among other things.
Farmers in the Achaia region in the Peloponnese province said they are determined to toughen their stance and continue their mobilizations by blocking roads and national highways.
Meanwhile, the farmers’ central assembly, which convened on Tuesday in a nationwide meeting in the central Greece town of Nikaia, signed on to a letter setting out specific demands, which was sent late Wednesday evening to PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ office.
The document includes eight main demands and an annex concerning the reduction of production costs, a re-negotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy as well as infrastructure projects for flood protection in the country:
- Allocation of tax-free diesel fuel for the agriculture sector
- A tariff cap of 7 cents/Kwh for farm-related electricity
- Subsidization of supplies, equipment and animal feed, and the abolition of VAT
- Non-application and renegotiation of the new common agriculture policy
- Reimbursement of lost income for crops that have suffered losses not covered by a farm insurance fund (ELGA), as well as for crop and animal products sold below production cost. Compensation from ELGA for all damages and diseases at 100% of actual damage, not insured value.
- Measures to be taken and checks to be carried out by the government to halt the practice of renaming ag imports as Greek products.
- Prices cover production costs to ensure income for our subsistence and cultivation needs.
- Infrastructure projects for flood protection in the country
The document also includes a separate annex regarding the damages caused by the storm “Daniel” in Thessaly, demanding compensation for flooded areas; a down payment of around 50% for permanent equipment; compensations covering 100% of the value of the destroyed fixed capital; and, the emergency aid of €6,600 should be granted immediately to eligible recipients who have not yet received it, along with rental assistance for those who were forced to leave their homes and rent another residence.
In a recent speech in Parliament, Mitsotakis outlined a series of measures to address the farmers’ concerns which included the return of the Special Consumption Tax (EFK) on diesel fuel, among other pledges. These announcements, however, did little to convince the protesters.
Meanwhile, in a late development, Mitsotakis appears willing to meet with the farmers on Monday, February 12, as government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said on Thursday during a press briefing.
“We expect to see whom he will meet with and who will represent them,” Marinakis said, noting that the letter sent by the farmers to the Prime Minister has also been received.
