Greek farmers clash with police amid protests over delayed payments
Tensions flared in central Greece on Sunday as farmers protesting delayed compensation payments clashed with police near the city of Larissa. The demonstrations, driven by frustration over rising production costs and long-standing issues with the state agricultural payments agency, quickly escalated into confrontations.
According to Greek media, farmers attempting to block a major highway with tractors encountered a heavy riot police presence. Officers reportedly used tear gas and pushed back crowds as protesters tried to widen their blockade. In Karditsa, another group of farmers managed to break through police lines and reach the E65 highway, intensifying the nationwide unrest.
Agricultural unions have announced plans to harden their actions in the coming days, citing unresolved problems with compensation schemes and operational failures within the agricultural payments system.
The protests come months after the European Commission imposed a €392.2 million (about $453.4 million) fine on Greece for widespread subsidy fraud dating back to 2016. The scandal involved falsified pasture lands and fraudulent agricultural activity, leading to the dissolution of the payments agency OPEKEPE earlier this year.
With compensation delays ongoing and trust in the agricultural system weakened, farmers say they will continue their mobilizations until concrete solutions are offered.
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