Farmers set to decide on escalating protests at key meeting
Farmers are weighing further escalation of their protest actions following decisions taken at local assemblies across the country. A crucial meeting of representatives from farmers’ blockades is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. in the northern city of Serres, where participants will also decide whether to agree to talks with the government.
The renewed tensions were sparked by an error on Wednesday involving the agricultural insurance fund ELGA, which withheld farmers’ social security contributions from their bank accounts before the payment of the basic subsidy. For many farmers, the incident proved to be the tipping point.
According to Kathimerini, thousands of farmers found their accounts debited instead of credited, despite assurances given by government officials in Parliament just hours earlier. Under standard procedure, the basic subsidy is paid first, with ELGA contributions deducted at a later stage. Instead, the deductions were made late Tuesday night, leaving many farmers shocked to see their balances reduced when they were expecting payments.
Although the final installment of the single subsidy — totaling €208 million for 482,853 beneficiaries — was completed by midday on Wednesday, the episode further eroded trust. “We can no longer have any confidence in the government’s commitments,” one farmer said.
This marked the second such incident in recent months. In late October, when farmers received an advance payment of 50–60% of their subsidy, ELGA deducted 75% of the annual insurance contributions, forcing many to cover the shortfall out of pocket.
Antonis S., a 55-year-old farmer from Thiva, said he intends to remain at the blockade. “There may have been room for dialogue, but today’s fiasco has completely changed the climate. We feel mocked,” he told Kathimerini on Wednesday.
Antonis noted that while he previously received around €25,000 annually in subsidies, this year his payment amounted to just €3,400, while his insurance contributions reached €10,000. “I’ve been paying into ELGA for decades and have never been compensated,” he added, pointing out that participation in the system is mandatory in order to invoice and sell agricultural produce.
In recent weeks, farmers have established blockades at major highway intersections and border crossings, disrupting transport and trade nationwide. Thursday’s meeting is expected to determine whether these actions will continue, raising concerns about potential disruptions during the Christmas travel period. Some tourist destinations have already reported cancellations, as travelers fear they may be unable to reach their destinations.
