The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke at length about the roadblocks set up by farmers and livestock breeders across Greece during a press conference following the conclusion of the European Union summit in Brussels, in the early hours of Friday, Dec. 19. His remarks, however, added little to efforts to foster meaningful dialogue or ease tensions.
After reiterating that the government remains open to dialogue, the prime minister sought to strike a chord with public opinion by invoking the holiday season and the need to avoid inconveniencing travelers. He ultimately issued what amounted to an ultimatum, both to those maintaining the roadblocks and to the opposition, insisting that the government would not yield to what he described as maximalist demands.
“Some farmers feel the need to disagree with the proposals that have been put forward by the government. The government remains open to dialogue. We say ‘yes’ to dialogue, but we say ‘no’—in every possible way and in every tone—to the unnecessary hardship imposed on society and to the consequences that a prolonged roadblock could have on the functioning of the economy. Christmas is approaching; I think everyone understands that people want to travel, some want to return to their villages, and winter destinations need to operate. I believe this is something everyone will take very seriously into account,” Mitsotakis said.
He added that while the government is making an effort to address what he described as the farmers’ justified demands, it will not give in “to any—what I would call—maximalism that would take us outside the European framework, which is very clearly defined, and ultimately lead us to solutions that cannot be accepted either by the government or by Europe,” he stressed.
Referring to the issue of “clean-up” and the planned integration of OPEKEPE, the agricultural payments authority, into the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE)—a move set to be decided by a roll-call vote on Friday—the prime minister said this constitutes a challenge for all political parties.
If they truly mean what they say about wanting a transparent subsidy system, he argued, one in which payments go to those who genuinely deserve them, they must support this reform. He therefore called on all parties to back the proposal in the day’s nominal vote.
