Greece is effectively split in two as farmers ramp up their protests across Thessaly, Northern Greece, Epirus, and Evros. Daily, roadblocks at customs checkpoints and highways grow, with farmers demanding action against rising costs and reduced subsidies from OPEKEPE.
Evros: Farmers Ready for Battle
At the Kipi customs checkpoint, farmers from both southern and northern Evros are gathering. The Egnatia Motorway is expected to be blocked in both directions by farmers from Komotini, with only passenger cars allowed, causing kilometer-long truck queues.
A similar situation is reported at Evzoni, at Greece’s border with North Macedonia, where trucks line up even though farmers open lanes for a few hours. At Malgara, farmers start assembling early, while taxis plan a convoy in support of the protests.
Yesterday (Tuesday, Dec. 2), Evzoni customs closed completely for the first time, allowing passage only for trucks carrying perishable goods. Another prolonged closure is scheduled for today.
Malgara: Farmers Stand Firm
At the Malgara tolls, the lane toward Athens has been blocked since Monday morning. Yesterday, the lane toward Thessaloniki was briefly closed for about an hour. Around 300 tractors are lined up along the Thessaloniki–Athens National Road, with farmers camping overnight by fires to keep warm.
At 10:00 a.m., taxis are expected to form a convoy from KTEL Macedonia to the tolls, as part of the farmers’ 48-hour strike.
Thessaly: Over 4,000 Tractors on the Roads
Thessaly has become the epicenter of the protests:
- Nikaia blockade: over 1,000 tractors, highway blocked in both directions.
- E-65, Karditsa blockade: over 2,000 tractors, lines stretching over two kilometers.
- New Trikala blockade: forming today outside the Megalochori junction.
In total, more than 4,000 tractors are currently deployed in Thessaly alone, with numbers increasing daily.
Dynamic Protests in Larissa
Livestock farmers in Thessaly carried out a dramatic demonstration, dumping milk and throwing animal feed in front of the Courthouse in Larissa.
Chants included:
- “They throw us crumbs”
- “There are no parties, we are all united”
- “Without us, you will starve”
After the protest, farmers headed to the Nikaia blockade to reinforce it.
Source: pagenews.gr