Farmers' protests in Greece reach Crete airport: air traffic disrupted
Protests by farmers in Greece, which have been going on for two weeks, are intensifying. In Crete, farmers and cattle breeders tried to block the international airport: protesters broke through to the territory and, according to local media, some even reached the runway. A police car was smashed in the crowd. This caused disruptions in air traffic. This was reported by The Public with reference to The Guardian and Reuters. The reason for the protests is the delay in European subsidy payments and a sharp increase in production costs. Farmers have already blocked highways and border crossings across the country and are now preparing to block ports. The Panhellenic Blockade Committee will announce new steps in the near future.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on protesters to refrain from escalation and move on to negotiations. He acknowledged delays in payments but promised that “significant payments will be made by the end of December.” Mitsotakis stressed that the government's door is “always open,” but dialogue must take place without roadblocks.
The crisis has been exacerbated by a corruption scandal: more than €600 million in subsidies have been frozen after fraudulent schemes were exposed. Five senior officials, including former Agriculture Minister Makis Voridis, have already resigned.
