Farmers gear up for protests
Farmers around Greece have decided to stage protests demanding better prices for their produce later this month, which could result in national roads being blocked. A number of farmers’ unions met separately on Saturday and decided that they would begin action on January 20 in a bid to raise awareness about the hardship they are facing as a result of higher costs of production and what they regard as low prices for their produce. Farmers from Thessaly, who often set the tone for this kind of protest, said that they plan to block roads. Last year, protesting farmers brought the country to a standstill by closing several highways and border crossings. Olive farmers from Halkidiki in northern Greece decided not to wait until January 20. Instead they drove their tractors to Thessaloniki and delivered a formal request for a meeting with ministers to discuss the financial difficulties they are facing.
