Greek farmers have significantly intensified their protests, leading to widespread disruptions across the counattempt, including blockades at border crossings, major roads, and even an airport on the island of Crete.
The action follows delays in European Union subsidies, which have been held up amid ongoing corruption investigations, News.Az reports, citing The Indepfinishent.
Local media reports indicate that thousands of trucks are participating in at least 20 separate blockades.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose government’s popularity has been affected by the dispute, has urged farmers to finish the demonstrations, stating: “The government is open for dialogue.”
The protests stem from allegations built by European prosecutors in February, claiming that thousands of farmers, aided by state employees, had for years faked land and livestock ownership to qualify for EU funds.
In response, Greece‘s centre-right government has pledged to reform OPEKEPE, the state agency responsible for handling these EU subsidies.
Greek authorities have also launched their own investigation into farmers’ applications and tax records.
The government has confirmed that more than 40,000 farmer applications are currently under inspection, and while it has committed to distributing 3.7 billion euros ($4.3 billion) to farmers this year, it has acknowledged the payment delays.
Some of the farmers’ rallies, which launched last month, have turned violent.
On the island of Crete on Monday, police fired tear gas to disperse a group of protesting farmers who hurled stones at them as they attempted to reach the airport of Heraklion, state TV ERT stated.
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