By Penelope Galliou

The time is now counting down for the Prime Minister’s meeting with the farmers, which will eventually be held in “two parts”. At 12 noon the peasant block committee will cross his threshold Megaros Maximosin order to meet with Kyriakos Mitsotakis. A meeting that fosters hopes and expectations from both sides, with the government seeking to end the mobilizations and the farmers expecting additional practical support and satisfaction of more of their demands.

In a second year, at around one o’clock, through the same door of Herod of Atticus, the Bureau of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, which is the institutional body of the agricultural cooperatives of all Greece, will also pass through, in order to set from its own point of view the demands of the farming world.

On behalf of the government, in addition to the prime minister, will be present Minister of Rural Development, Lefteris AvgenakisThe Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis and Deputy Minister Christos Triandopoulos, Ministers of State Akis Skertsos, Makis Voridis, Stavros Papastavrou, government representative Pavlos Marinakis, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Yiannis Bratakos and ELGA Commander Andreas Lykourentzos.

The government’s main counterweight to the farmers’ demands remains the return of the excise duty (EFFK), for which part of it is being considered, probably 30% to be given in advance, to strengthen the liquidity of the farmers and the rest in installments.

Listening to the concerns and requests of the rural world and realizing the energy costs they bear, the government is also giving great importance to this sector, for which the 10% discount on rural electricity has already been announced, while it seems – according to government sources – to some additional energy relief is also being considered, without, however, burdening the state budget. In fact, it is not excluded that – according to the same information – the burden in question concerns the energy providers.

As far as it is concerned, part of what additional measures support will be decided tomorrow for the farmers, to have a depth of time in 2025 as well.

However, the Maximos Palace appears optimistic about the outcome of the meetings, considering that the rural world, despite the difficulties it faces, realizes that it has a government that has moved forward with actions, not just words, “as, possibly, some other Governments in the past” is emphasized.

From then on, government officials, as well as the prime minister himself, repeat that dialogue cannot take place behind closed doors. The free passage of citizens must be ensured, but “I don’t think we are at that point, nor will we get there. We are optimistic about tomorrow’s meetings” said the government representative while briefing the political editors.