Greek farmers remain on the streets

Greek farmers are not budging in their demands despite the measures announced by the government in an attempt to defuse the situation. The rural world speaks of ridicule and any decisions will be made on Sunday, at a nationwide conference in Larissa.

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, United Federation of Larissa Agricultural Associations president Rizos Maroudas and Palamas Agricultural Association president K. Tzelas argued that the new measures did not meet any of the demands of the rural world.

The farmers of the block in Nikaia have planned a protest at 12 noon tomorrow, Friday, at OPEKEPE and at 13:00 at the offices of ELGA in Larissa.

The position of the Karditsa Federation of Agricultural Associations president Vangelis Boutas was similar as in a press conference he gave in Thessaloniki, he called on all farmers and relevant bodies to provide a strong presence at the rally at Venizelos’ Statue Saturday afternoon with a march to the National Exhibition Centre, where Zootechnia is currently taking place.

As Boutas said, none of the measures announced by the government meets the demands of Greek farmers. "We are not relieved by these measures. The aim of the State is to confuse the public, who for the first time have so strongly sided with the farmers, after so many years."

Noting that farmers are not asking for money and their demands regard their own survival, Boutas addressed all concerned parties, saying that "our struggle is not under any partisan umbrella and our goal is to establish a people’s alliance against the government's policy imposed by the EU and their memoranda."

This Sunday, farmers from all blocks of the country are invited to participate in a nationwide conference in Larissa, in order to jointly determine the future of their mobilizations.