Greek Farmers Intensify Blockades

Greek Farmers Intensify Blockades
By Philip Chrysopoulos -  Feb 5, 2016

The Greek farmers unions have decided to intensify blockades during the weekend and for an indefinite period of time, while tractors filled the main roads of Thessaloniki stopping traffic.

Several key points of Greece’s main thoroughfares will be blocked for several hours during the weekend as farmers continue to protest the new tax and security fund measures. On Friday, the national highway is blocked at Tempi — a key point in the center of the country connecting northern and southern Greece —  from 10 am to 10 pm. On Saturday, Tempi will be completely blocked of farmers from noon until 10 pm.

Other key points along national highways that will be closed indefinitely are Kerdyllia, Niseli, Chrysoupolis, Nikaia and Isthmus. Also, checkpoints at Promahonas and Kipi on the border with Bulgaria will remain closed indefinitely. Farmers allow only a few trucks to cross on special occasions.

On Saturday, blockades in crucial points will be in effect from noon until noon on Sunday. At the moment there are 62 roadblocks across Greece.

Farmers will keep the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway at Kastro closed on Saturday from noon until midnight.

Moreover, farmers from the region of Fthiotida will block the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway as well as the regional roads at Atalanti and Anthili from noon to 2 pm and on Saturday from noon until midnight. They will also close the old national highway from noon to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm on Friday and on Saturday from noon to until midnight.

In Peloponnese, farmers remain along the main roads without interrupting traffic. However, the farmers said they will escalate their mobilizations and will close the Corinth-Tripolis motorway at Nestani on Friday at midnight.

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