Greek farmers and the government are holding high-stakes talks on Monday, as a 25-member delegation representing nationwide agricultural protests meets Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens after almost 50 days of mobilizations.
The meeting, taking place at the prime minister’s office, includes 25 representatives of the primary production sector and six observers. The government has made clear ahead of the talks that there is no fiscal space for additional financial measures, setting a cautious tone for the discussions.
Key Demands on the Table
Farmers are presenting a package of 14 demands previously submitted to the government. Central issues include concerns over the European Union–Mercosur trade agreement, calls for lower electricity and fuel costs for all farmers, faster and broader compensation for crop and livestock losses, and measures to offset lost income.
Producers from central Greece are also pressing for stronger support for wheat and cotton, the withdrawal of legal cases linked to protest actions, deeper fuel discounts, and the launch and completion of flood-prevention projects aimed at protecting farmland and ensuring adequate water supplies year-round.
The delegation is made up of 15 farmers, while the other ten are livestock breeders, beekeepers, and fishers. Protest organizers argue that there is room to improve measures already announced by the government, even if new spending is off the table.
Protests Ease as Talks Begin
Some farmers who met with the prime minister last week have announced they will leave roadside protest sites following Monday’s meeting, stressing that the move does not amount to a retreat. According to their statement, weeks of negotiations have produced a mix of government commitments, partial solutions, and rejected demands, but they say their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
At the same time, two farmers from northern Greece have been summoned by authorities to give statements over road blockages linked to earlier protests, adding pressure to an already tense situation.
Following the meeting, farmers’ collective bodies are expected to convene to assess the outcome and decide on their next moves. Local assemblies are also scheduled for Tuesday evening in key protest hubs to brief participants and coordinate at the regional level.
