Protesting farmers leave tractors at Syntagma Square overnight

Protesting farmers from across Greece converged on central Athens on Friday, driving dozens of tractors to parliament and parking them overnight on Syntagma Square. The demonstration was organized to protest rising production costs and tough competition from abroad, with farmers arguing that government concessions have been insufficient to address their financial struggles.

Police blocked off central streets in the capital and accompanied the tractor motorcade through the city center as it made its way to Syntagma Square in front of the parliament building. According to local reports, spectators lined up and applauded as the tractors arrived, while tourists attempted to capture the moment, with some getting dangerously close to the vehicles. Vasilissis Amalias Avenue remained closed until the tractors departed at noon.

Greek Farmers Continue Protests Over Production Costs

Greek farmers have been protesting for months over high production costs, low prices for their products, and delays in the payment of European Union-backed subsidies. The payment delays came as authorities reviewed all requests following revelations of widespread fraud claims for EU farm subsidies.

Protesters have argued that the delays amounted to collective punishment, leaving honest farmers in debt and unable to plant their fields for the next season. Stavros Kozoutzis, a farmer from Komotini in the north of the country, told reporters that the summer cultivation period is about to begin but farmers lack the money to plant this year’s crops.

Government Concessions Fall Short of Demands

After weeks of tractor blockades along major highways and border crossings that caused significant traffic disruptions, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with farmer representatives last month. The government made a series of concessions, including fuel tax rebates and cheaper electricity rates, according to official statements.

Farmers then ended their blockades after 55 days. However, agricultural protesters say the government failed to address many of their core concerns. The head of the farmers’ union in the central agricultural region of Larissa stated on Friday that many farmers had not yet received full compensation for last year’s crop and livestock losses.

Ongoing Agricultural Crisis Deepens

Rizos Maroudas, speaking to public broadcaster ERT, said guaranteed minimum prices for products and investment in irrigation and infrastructure against future floods remain unmet demands. Additionally, he emphasized that farmers are fighting for their survival and their struggle continues despite leaving the blockades.

Meanwhile, livestock breeders have joined the protests, having seen their flocks decimated by mass culls due to an outbreak of sheep and goat pox. The sector has been hit by rolling outbreaks since 2024, with hundreds of thousands of animals being culled. Footage from local television showed veterinarians dressed in yellow uniforms spraying tractors with disinfectants before they reached the capital.

EU Trade Deal and Production Challenges

Early last month, farmers escalated their protests with a 48-hour blockade of major highways, toll stations, and junctions over high production costs and the European Union’s trade deal with South American nations. The EU-Mercosur agreement seeks to progressively remove duties on almost all goods traded between the two blocs, raising concerns among Greek farmers about increased competition.

In contrast to the government’s position, Maroudas told reporters that authorities have the financial ability to resolve the farming community’s problems but lack the political will to do so. The government maintains it has disbursed much of the overdue payments and announced cheaper fuel and cover for future output losses.

The timing of the protests remains critical as the summer cultivation period approaches and farmers require immediate financial resources to plant their crops. Authorities have not confirmed when remaining compensation payments will be fully distributed or whether additional measures will be implemented to address the protesters’ core demands.