Livestock farmers from across Greece gathered outside the Maximos Mansion, the official seat of the Greek Prime Minister, in central Athens, on Tuesday, July 22, staging a large protest to sound the alarm over what they describe as the imminent collapse of the country’s livestock industry.
Traveling by car and bus from regions such as Thessaly, Macedonia, and Central Greece, the demonstrators arrived armed with banners, megaphones, and chants, demanding a direct meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“Livestock farming is disappearing. Farms are shutting down one after the other, and young people are abandoning the countryside,” said representatives of the protesting farmers. They blame a decade of government policies, coupled with the impacts of climate change and livestock diseases, for pushing the sector to the brink of destruction.
Unless immediate and concrete measures are taken, the farmers warned, their protests will escalate — both in the capital and across regional areas.
What the Farmers Are Demanding
The protesters laid out a list of urgent demands aimed at saving the industry:
• Immediate hiring and deployment of veterinarians to affected areas.
• Stronger measures to combat livestock diseases, including sheep pox, and improved health controls.
• Rapid compensation for culled animals and emergency financial aid for livestock feed.
• A five-year recovery plan for the livestock sector.
• Fair subsidies without arbitrary cuts.
• Withdrawal of what they call an “unjust” 415 million euros fine imposed by the Greek Payment Authority of Common Agricultural Policy Aid Schemes (OPEKEPE).
