Greek govt warns farmers not to escalate subsidy protest

The Greek government on Wednesday warned farmers against escalating a roadblock protest to demand funds delayed by the investigation into an EU subsidies scandal.

"Extreme actions, prolonged closures of national roads, closures of customs offices, closures of airports—these are actions that do not aid their cause. They cause problems for other social groups," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in televised remarks to the cabinet.

Thousands of farmers this week blocked the Athens-Thessaloniki highway with their tractors, and on Wednesday threatened to close the border crossing with Bulgaria.

The government has tried to keep the highways open with riot police, but the farmers on Wednesday got within 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) of the border before being halted by police.

Long rows of cars and trucks are already forming at the border.

The farmers have sustained major losses from an infestation of sheep pox, and an EU investigation into widespread subsidy fraud that has delayed payments to legitimate claimants.

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EU prosecutors revealed the farm subsidies scandal in May.

Greek officials say fraudsters made more than 30 million euros' ($35 million) worth of false claims for Common Agricultural Policy subsidies.

The suspects are accused of having made claims for land they did not own and exaggerating the numbers of livestock on farms.

Government assurances

The government has insisted that no legitimate farmers will lose money once the investigation is completed.

"I think everyone realises that we are going through a challenging transitional period," Mitsotakis said Wednesday.

Legitimate farmers will receive over 500,000 euros more than in 2024, he said.

But many farmers say these promises are too little, too late.

"We don't want to be deceived any longer. Since 2014, subsidies have been continuously reduced," said 55-year-old cotton farmer and local unionist Aris Lioutas on the road to Promachonas.

"I used to receive around 6,000 euros (in subsidies) annually for about 150 acres of cotton, but this year I didn't even get 1,000 euros because of the scandal," he told AFP alongside a long row of tractors adorned with black and Greek flags.

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Eighteen-year-old Giorgos Nikolis, whose family grows industrial tomatoes, said the entire sector was "in despair."

"The primary sector is dying, and the consequences will be very unpleasant for society as a whole," said Nikolis.

"The prices of the products we produce are disgracefully low," he added.

Sheep pox losses

Livestock farmers are also demanding compensation following the loss of over 400,000 sheep and goats to the sheep pox outbreak, all slaughtered to stop the disease.

The authorities have resisted calls from farmers to be allowed to vaccinate their flocks, arguing there is no proof the measure actually works.

"Entire fortunes were lost in a single day because of this disease," said Nikolis. "We are all in despair. This cannot go on, and everyone needs to understand that."

Christos Trikalianis, a 65-year-old corn grower, said he felt "enraged" by the revelation that people with political connections were earning millions in subsidies.

"The subsidies we receive are now disgracefully low," he said. "Just a few days ago, I received a net amount of about 700 euros.

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"This is a real insult when we hear about millions being given to people who have no connection to agricultural production."

Source: AFP