This year’s protests have shown from day one that farmers are ready to toughen their stance to address demands that have been made for years but remain unresolved. Yesterday they implemented their decisions to occupy national networks as happened in Girtoni on the PATHE, but also in Karditsa on the E65 in an episodic way. In fact, at one point on the E65 they tried to put tractors alongside the national network without succeeding, reminding, it is true, of other hard times.

But why do farmers seem more militant this year and the blockades are even stronger?

The Thessalian farmers have seen infrastructure and shielding projects after Daniel fail to progress, while at the same time losing production due to climate change that ELGA’s regulation does not compensate. At the same time they are seeing production costs remain high so that they cannot grow crops.

On the path of escalation

The farmers of Thessaly are waiting to hear what the Prime Minister will say from the floor of the Parliament in response to PASOK President Nikos Androulakis’ question on the primary sector.

To a large extent, the prime minister’s speech will also drive agricultural developments in the coming days. If the farmers are not satisfied at today’s afternoon assemblies in Girtoni and Karditsa, they are expected to decide to escalate their struggle by intensifying the blockades and forming new blockades in other areas of Thessaly and the country, tightening the grip. At the same time they insist that this year they are determined to raise the tractors and close the highways .

The escalation may take other forms such as a sit-in in Athens, as happened last year, and farmers’ representatives believe it helped the people of the capital understand the need to resolve their demands.