x

Society

Hit by High Costs, Greek Farmers Stage Tractor Protest (Photos)

ATHENS, Greece — Holding up vegetables and black flags, hundreds of protesting farmers blocked traffic in central Athens on Friday to demand that the government grant them additional concessions to cope with high energy costs.

The protesters, some in tractors, gathered outside the Agriculture Ministry in Athens and were planning to head to parliament in the center of the capital.

A farmer stands next of tractor during a protest outside of the Agriculture Ministry in Athens, Greece, on Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Farming associations say they were largely left out of a 1.1 billion-euro ($1.21 billion) financial support package announced earlier this week by the center-right government to help struggling businesses and lower-income households.

Huge rises in energy costs have hit farmers who have passed many of the increases on to food prices, as inflation reached 6.3% in February and an average of 5.9% among countries that share the euro currency.

Earlier this year, farming associations across the country staged protests with tractors along Greece’s highways, but didn’t carry out threats to set up roadblocks.

A farmer takes part in a protest outside of the Agriculture Ministry in Athens, Greece, on Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A farmer holds up a vegetables during a protest in Athens, on Friday, March 18, 2022.  (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Greek farmers smoke cigarettes are seen on a tractor during a protest outside of the Agriculture Ministry in Athens, Greece, on Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A farmer takes part in a protest outside of the Agriculture Ministry in Athens, Greece, on Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

RELATED

BELGRADE - Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias was welcomed to Belgrade by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday.

Top Stories

Columnists

A pregnant woman was driving in the HOV lane near Dallas.

General News

FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.

General News

NEW YORK – Meropi Kyriacou, the new Principal of The Cathedral School in Manhattan, was honored as The National Herald’s Educator of the Year.

Video

Enter your email address to subscribe

Provide your email address to subscribe. For e.g. [email protected]

You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in our newsletter.