Greece’s primary sector is up in arms, planning a mass mobilization with agricultural machinery in the heart of Thessaloniki on the opening day of the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair, Saturday, September 5.
At least 20 tractors are expected to line up at the White Tower, kicking off a dynamic protest that will draw thousands of farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers, and fishermen from every corner of the country.
This mobilization is a natural continuation of the multi-day blockades that took place over the winter. According to sector representatives speaking to thesspost.gr, the meeting between the Panhellenic Blockades Committee and the prime minister at the Maximos Mansion failed to produce meaningful solutions to the sector’s pressing problems, chiefly the high cost of production and significant delays in subsidy payments.
At the same time, the livestock sector is being dealt a further blow. Hundreds of producers find themselves desperate and without income due to the spread of bluetongue disease and foot and mouth disease. So far, these outbreaks have been dealt with solely through the culling of thousands of animals, leaving behind decimated herds and despairing livestock farmers.
From the countryside to the heart of Thessaloniki
The gradual depopulation of villages and the uncertain future of the primary sector are sounding alarm bells. Dozens of chartered buses, from Evros and Western Greece all the way to Crete, will transport producers to Macedonia, ramping up pressure on the government.
The timing is seen as particularly critical, as the pre-election period is in full swing while government officials are touring Northern Greece in an attempt to calm reactions and manage the politically sensitive issue of timely payments.
For representatives of the Panhellenic Committee, the presence of farm machinery on the day of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s speech carries strong symbolism, expressing the anguish of an entire productive sector fighting for its survival.
The plan, coordinated with police, includes:
- 2:00 PM: The first 20 tractors depart from the Malgara blockade.
- 3:00 PM: The machinery arrives at the White Tower.
- 3:00 to 5:00 PM: Buses carrying protesters from across Greece arrive.
- 5:00 PM: The farmers’ rally officially begins.
Following that, a mass march toward the “I. Vellidis” Conference Center is under consideration. Both inside and outside the venue, a heavy police presence is expected, as parallel gatherings and protests by labor unions, organizations, and associations will be taking place at the same time.
