Government vs. Farmers: Maximos Palace Hardens Stance, ND Divisions Emerge

The confrontation between the government and farmers has escalated into an open clash, with Maximos Palace showing its “hard side” and placing farmers under the scrutiny of law enforcement. At the same time, internal ND reactions over the inability to reach an agreement are multiplying, revealing a party divided on the strategy to follow.

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The government believes that public opinion will turn against the farmers once they crossed the “red lines,” such as occupying critical infrastructure – airports, ports, and roads – and following the recent incidents in Heraklion, they have been referred to prosecutors under criminal organization charges.

Within ND, MPs are divided: some advocate for a soft approach, while others argue that strict measures are the only way to prevent further escalation.

Government sources stress: “With the stance of those at the roadblocks, they will inevitably come into conflict with citizens, especially if protests continue through Christmas. The only way to defuse the situation is through good-faith dialogue on demands that can be accepted.”

The Prime Minister addressed the issue yesterday at a Health conference: “I will say again that everyone must consider that sometimes the most extreme actions can turn large segments of society against farmers who may have legitimate demands. I say this because the door, both mine and that of the Ministry and the Vice President who has worked extensively on this issue, is always open. It would be better if this dialogue happens with open roads, not closed ones.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras confirmed support measures: “We are discussing redefining agricultural fuel allocations per crop, which will indirectly determine the return of the excise tax,” while the discounted electricity program “Gaia” is being extended.

Maximos Palace also responded indirectly to former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, reminding that: “Unfortunately, the ‘all kilos, all money’ approach was not new. This government has the completely opposite logic. It gives as much as possible from funds that exist – real funds, not from money that does not exist. Meaning revenues generated from tackling tax evasion and economic growth.”

The government plans to disburse about half of the €1.2 billion in pending aid, while in the coming days payments of €180 million from “Measure 23” for producers affected by natural disasters are expected.

Tensions remain high, with Maximos Palace seeking to ease the situation through dialogue and targeted financial measures, while closely monitoring political reactions within ND. The coming days will be critical for determining the course of the government-farmer conflict.

Source: pagenews.gr