The farmers are moving in two lines and no longer in a common stride at blockades, as some of them are now in favour of direct and substantial dialogue with the government, while others, after today’s midday meeting in Nice, insist on a harsh escalation with road and customs blockades, warning of indefinite mobilizations after the holidays.

Amid escalating mobilizations and widespread blockades of key roads and customs, representatives of 18 agricultural blockades from across the country met earlier today in Epanomi Thessaloniki, sending a message in favour of the immediate resolution of “vital problems” and the start of a substantial dialogue with the government on the present and future of Greek agriculture and livestock farming.

Statements of agricultural trade unionists

Iordanis Ioannidis, spokesman of the blockades committee, speaks of the “callicants of the agricultural movement“. He also refers to “do-gooders of any government” who “look forward to personal benefit and not to general interest.”

Socrates Aliftiras, vice-president of the Larissa farmers’ federation, says “it’s curious how some farmers are now splitting their position” after participating in so many assemblies.”

Yiannis Vogiatzakis, from the blockade at the Green Lanterns, refers to the dialogue “to see what separates us from the state” and the next steps.

In the statement issued after the meeting, the farmers stress that the problems that have arisen do not only concern the agricultural world, but “an entire Greek society”, noting that they must be put on the table immediately, just as they have been presented to the government. At the same time, they stress the need for a fruitful dialogue, rejecting “expediencies and methodologies” that, as they say, are being promoted by the government side.

In the same statement, they speak of targeting and “undeserved destruction of genuine fellow farmers”, while the position is expressed that the dialogue must be conducted away from sterile confrontations and with the sole interest of the national economy in mind. “In this struggle no one is left over” they say, calling on the rest of the farmers for a joint descent and solidarity at the negotiating table.

The line in favor of dialogue is also confirmed by the list of blockades that, according to Dimitris Tsilias, a farmer from the blockade in Green Lanterns and head of the coordinating committee, declare themselves ready to participate in a meeting with the government. These are the blockades of Airport, Evzona (Yannitsa, Peonia – Kilkis), Kardyllia, Drama, Prosotsiani, Bralo, Aeginio, Pieria, Nselio, Imathia, Kryas Vrysi, Pella, Mikrothives, Skydra Customs, Messimeri Edessa, Chalkidona, Achaia, Ferron and Komotini, as well as the islands of the Eastern Aegean and Rhodes, with authorisation via Chalkidona.

At the same time, however, the situation in the blockades remains tense. Farmers have returned to the streets, making new blockades and announcing an escalation of mobilizations after the New Year, when a nationwide meeting is planned.

In Nice, the overpass was closed today to reopen on Tuesday to facilitate the excursionists. During the meeting at the Nikaia blockade, it was decided to open the Makrychori toll road tomorrow from 12:00 to 17:00, while on Monday, it is planned to close bypass roads from 17:00 to 19:00 and march with tractors in the center of Larissa. On Tuesday, traffic facilitations are planned again, including the operation of the air bridge.

On Wednesday evening, New Year’s Eve, a gathering is planned in Nikaia with the participation of farmers’ families, in a symbolic gesture of wish exchange.

At the same time, blockades are recorded at key points. In Malgara, the National Road to Athens was closed, with traffic being halted at noon and final decisions expected at a new meeting.

The Evzona customs office remains closed at certain intervals for all vehicles, while the Promahona customs office has been closed indefinitely on both streams, with farmers meeting to discuss their next steps. At the Castros blockade, a partial blockade of the National Road is recorded, with delays of up to an hour.

The farmers make it clear that despite the temporary relief due to the holidays, the mobilizations will continue until there are substantial developments and satisfaction of their demands, warning that even indefinite blockades are being considered after the holidays.

The issue, however, is that they no longer appear with a unified line and it remains to be seen whether the call of the blockades that met in Epanomi will be followed up, leading to a dialogue with the government on the demands that have already been expressed in the previous days, or whether the line of the “hard-line” agro-syndicalists will prevail.