“The government actively supports the agricultural world, one of the biggest ‘industries’ of the country” he said today the government representative, Pavlos Marinakis, in the briefing of the political editors. He, however, noted that “the resources at our disposal are not inexhaustible, therefore additional measures are not considered».

Asked specifically about the farmers’ mobilizations, Mr. Marinakis said that “the government’s interventions did not start because of the mobilizations and the prime minister has proven that he is by society’s side but always with realism and what he says he knows can be put into practice.”

Answering whether it is imminent meeting of the prime minister with the farmers he replied that “I don’t know that any meeting has been planned, but the government’s obligation is to fully share the concern of the citizens, to try to satisfy most of the demands of the professional groups”.

Mr. Marinakis also said that the arogi.gov.gr platform will open “within the next twenty-four hours for new or additional first aid applications to agricultural holdings and livestock units for the areas affected by the extreme flooding phenomena of September 2023 in Thessaly and in other areas. The amount of aid will range from 5,000 to 10,000 euros depending on the severity of the damage suffered. First aid payments to individuals and businesses continue. On Friday, 795,000 euros were paid to 240 natural persons and 7.7 million euros to 600 affected businesses.

And he clarified that a total of 147.7 million euros have been paid to date to 43,512 households, businesses, agricultural holdings and livestock units.

Skylakakis: Farmers will benefit directly

Earlier, speaking to SKAI, the Minister of Energy Theodoros Skylakakis referred to the measures for rural electricity announced by the government, stressing that these are multiple interventions and that farmers will benefit directly.

In particular, Mr. Skylakakis, explaining in detail the government’s initiatives, said that the measures include:

  • Minus 10% in rural electricity
  • Settlement of the very large debts of the Vascular Improvement Organizations that are managed by the farmers and amount to 87 million euros, of which 8 million euros will be given to Thessaly from the state budget. The OEBs there will be transferred to the Water Management Organization of Thessaly with a settlement of their debts with the state paying 75% of the debts, while at the same time the rest of the Water Improvement Organizations will have a ten-year settlement with a zero interest rate, which will be subsidized by the state.
  • The “Apollo” program, with which the existing photovoltaic investments will be utilized in order to provide electricity exclusively to these organizations, but also to the local government at a lower price
  • Something similar will be done in relation to cooperative organizations and farmers who have contract farming where there will also be a long-term contract from the providers, most likely PPC so that through photovoltaics and batteries that will be subsidized by the state they will have electricity 30% below for a decade

The Minister of Energy emphasized that farmers will directly benefit from the first and second part of the measures.

Farmers outside Thessaloniki – Tomorrow the critical decisions

At the same time, the farmers of Halkidiki with their tractors are outside Thessaloniki trying to reach YMATH, to deliver a resolution with their demands. However, a police roadblock interrupted their march to Lakkoma.

As reported by the SKAI correspondent Elena Helvatzoglou, after the blockade the farmers opened the railings of the national road and tried to continue their march through the fields.

A committee of the producers who participated in the mobilization asked the police to let the tractors continue on their way, however they were only allowed to continue with agricultural vehicles, which the farmers did not accept

From 10:30 in the morning, the National Highway of Thessaloniki – Neo Moudania in the direction of Thessaloniki remains closed, as well as the side road of the National Highway in the same direction.

The motorized course started from the Moudania junctionat the height of the Nea Moudanion – Thessaloniki highway, where their tractors are lined up.

As reported to APE-MBE by the president of the Agricultural Association of Semantron of Halkidiki Filoklis Kotzias, the farmers intend to submit a resolution with their demands to the Deputy Minister of Macedonia – Thrace Stathis Konstantinidissetting the crown of their expectations “compensations for the unfruitfulness of green olives in Halkidiki, which – according to research by the AUTh – reaches 90%”.

About 40 tractors participate in the motorized – peaceful, as Mr. Kotzias described it– march of farmers towards YMATH, while 120 tractors remain at the Moudania junction. After delivering their resolution to the deputy minister, the farmers will return to the block, at the Moudania junction.

Tomorrow the critical decisions

In the meantime, the farmers after Agrotica returned to their blocksdetermined to continue their mobilizations.

Tomorrow at the pan-Hellenic meeting in Nice, Larissa, the farmers will decide at 12 noon on the future and form of their mobilizations.

As reported by the SKAI correspondent Panos Garoufalias from Trikala, tomorrow’s decision will most likely be an escalation of the mobilizationswith two proposals: the long-term road blockades and the descent into Athens.

In the symbolic closure of Egnatia Road the farmers of the Prefecture of Serres advanced today at the height of the Strymonikos junction. The closure of Egnatia Street will last 15 to 20 minutes from both traffic flows and will be done in consultation with the police.

Earlier at 11:00 farmers who had left their tractors in the center of their town Serron they transported them under the Strymonikos interchange on the Heraklion-Strymonikos provincial road.

From scratch an invitation for dialogue was addressed by the Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakis who met with delegations of farmers. The minister points out that “the government insists on dialogue” and how “the relationship of New Democracy, the Government and the Prime Minister himself with the Greek farmers is timeless, it is strong”.

For us it doesn’t exist “farm front” Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized yesterday and added: “We listen to them, respect them and constantly take measures to support themrecognizing their anxiety about tomorrow due to the increase in production costs from the energy/climate crisis, but also due to the strong geopolitical upheavals that are catalysing the agricultural sector and food production systems as a whole”.