Greek farmers wage nationwide blockade to demand delayed subsidies—ports, roads and airports grind to a halt as frustration boils over
Farmers across Greece have ramped up a nationwide campaign of blockades, bringing port operations and major freight routes to a near-standstill. On Wednesday, dozens of tractors and trucks rolled into the port of Volos, where protestors briefly disrupted commercial activity as part of their ongoing demonstration.
The farmers are demanding payment of more than €600 million ($698.47 million) in overdue subsidies and aid—money they argue was delayed due to a corruption scandal and subsequent audits.
In some cases, the aid checks were held up after accusations surfaced that certain applicants, aided by state officials, had falsified land-ownership records to claim funds.
Tensions rise in Greece as farmers attack police vehicles and demand faster subsidy payments.
The government urges calm, promising major support funds will be delivered by year’s end, but protesters vow to intensify their actions. pic.twitter.com/B2HUcfT93g
— TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) December 8, 2025
The protestors say they’re also bearing the brunt of several crises all at once: a devastating outbreak of sheep pox has forced many to cull livestock, and the floods that hit the region of Thessaly in 2023 destroyed crops and farmland—losses they argue haven’t been properly compensated.
At the Port of Volos, riot police tried to block access to the terminal as farmers attempted to occupy unloading docks. Though some tractors were eventually pulled back, several protestors, including fishermen supporting the action, remained near the port entrance.
“We’re not backing down. If they want to arrest the thousands of protesting people, let them come and arrest us,” Costas Sefis, a farmer from the northern city of Malgara, told public broadcaster ERT. Farmers argue that with production costs soaring, delayed payments, and repeated disasters, they have little choice but to escalate protests until the government acts.
Authorities have warned that blockades affecting critical infrastructure — ports, highways and border crossings — will not be tolerated. On Tuesday, the country’s top court ordered potential criminal prosecution for protesters who disrupt traffic or obstruct vital infrastructure.
So far, the government—led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis—has acknowledged delays caused by audits and promised additional support, including releasing part of the withheld funds this month. Yet farmers say that partial measures aren’t enough and insist on timely and full compensation.
For now, the tractors remain on roads, ports, and borders. The farmers have called for a nationwide meeting of protest leaders this weekend near Larissa to push for a unified set of demands and potentially escalate their actions further.
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