Greek farmers are maintaining their blockades and escalating pressure, while at the same time adopting a controlled de-escalation strategy for the holiday period. Following decisions taken at their nationwide assembly, they announced that roads will remain open over the weekend and that, wherever possible, toll booths will be opened to allow free passage for cars and buses.
The message is carefully calibrated: the struggle continues, but society should not pay the price. Farmers are openly trying to avoid triggering public backlash ahead of Christmas, while at the same time pushing responsibility back onto the government for the next step.
Dialogue on Hold – For Now
A meeting with the government is not currently on the agenda, according to representatives of the blockades. However, farmers stress that nothing is ruled out, depending on the government’s response in the coming days. From next week, they say, their stance will be reassessed based on whether concrete answers — not just general statements — are offered.
The Ministry of Rural Development reiterated the government line shortly after the farmers’ decisions: “Yes to dialogue and reasonable demands within the described framework, no to escalation and unnecessary inconvenience to society.”
Behind the scenes, however, there is growing concern that the continuation of blockades — even in a moderated form — keeps political pressure high during a sensitive period for the economy and holiday travel.
A Strategy of Pressure Without Social Rupture
By opening roads and tolls during peak travel days, farmers are signaling solidarity with citizens and the market, while keeping their tractors in place as a visible reminder that the conflict remains unresolved.
At the same time, they make clear that decisions ultimately lie with local blockade assemblies, meaning that variations and tensions cannot be fully ruled out.
The mobilization is coordinated — but not fully centralized.
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The Full Schedule of Blockades and Traffic Flow
Based on the nationwide decisions, the situation will unfold as follows:
Friday, December 19 (morning) Free passage at all blockades, due to the court proceedings related to the Tempi train tragedy taking place in Larissa.
Friday, December 19 (from 14:00) Blockades and parallel roads will be closed again for 3–4 hours nationwide. With approximately 60–70 blockade points, significant disruption to travel is expected.
Weekend, December 20–21 Roads and toll booths open across the country, allowing citizens to travel freely ahead of the holidays.
Monday, December 22 Blockades resume, accompanied by coordinated nationwide actions.
Tuesday, December 23 to Friday, December 26 Free passage at all blockade points, with tractors moved to the roadside to facilitate holiday travel.
What Comes Next
Farmers insist that their approach proves they can control the intensity of the mobilization. The underlying message is unmistakable: pressure remains, goodwill is shown, and the next move belongs to the government.
If no substantive response is forthcoming, the blockades may harden again. If dialogue opens with concrete commitments, the door to de-escalation remains open.
For now, the tractors stay in place — but the roads, temporarily, do not.
Source: pagenews.gr