Greek farmers escalate struggle with roadblocks across the country

[Joanne98]

Policies favoring wealthy landowners targeted by mass actions

Greek farmers have set up roadblocks across the country using tractors and other machinery as part of protests against the Greek government's and European Union's anti-farmer policies.

Two of the three crossings to Bulgaria were obstructed in the northern border towns; traffic on the country’s main highway was halted at the Nikaia intersection near Larissa and elsewhere in the central region; and the runway of the Heraklion airport was blocked in the southern island of Crete.

The roadblocks mark an escalation of the struggle against the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, the policies of the Greek government, plummeting prices and the impacts of the economic crisis.

The CAP aims to reinforce European agribusiness against U.S. and other agribusiness and against the small- and medium-sized European farmers. For Greece in particular, the CAP aims to reduce the percentage of the population that is engaged in farming so that a few wealthy farmers can amass a greater concentration of land. Greek governments, past and present, have all adhered to the CAP.

http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11151&news_iv_ctrl=0

[Joanne98]

1. Traffic at Bulgarian-Greek border closed, Greek farmers try invasion

As of 11am on January 23 2009, all three border checkpoints between Bulgaria and Greece have been closed because of Greek farmer protests, the Bulgarian border police said. Greek farmers have notified Bulgarian border police that they intend to block the roads leading to the Svilengrad-Ormenion border checkpoint, the only one still operating after January 20 2009, when Greek farmers blocked the Koulata-Promahon and Ilinden-Exsohi border checkpoints.

There was no indication of how long Greek farmers would maintain the road blockade, so travellers from Bulgaria to Greece have been advised to use Macedonia as an alternative route. Given that Macedonia is not a European Union country, such might be more difficult for drivers in turns of paperwork.

Greek farmers have been blocking roads in Greece since January 19 to highlight their dissatisfaction over falling prices for their crops.

Farmers have threatened to “cut the country in two” by staging blockades at junctions on the national road network unless their demands are met. They want authorities to set minimum prices for their goods and increase their pensions.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian border police said that, on January 22, Greek farmers tried to enter Bulgarian territory with their farming equipment at the Koulata-Promahon border crossing. At about 1am, farmers drove 15 tractors to the no man's land between Bulgaria and Greece and threatened to enter Bulgarian territory. Bulgarian border police in full kit had to form a barricade of metal fences to turn them back.

http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/traffic-at-bulgarian-greek-border-closed-greek-farmers-try-invasion/id_34188/catid_68

[Joanne98]

2. Riots Break out in Greece after Protest in Support of Bulgarian Union Worker

Riots and clashes between extreme leftists groups and the police took place in Athens followed the peaceful march and rally in support of Kostadina Kuneva, a Bulgarian national working in a Greek syndicate, who was attacked and burned by acid in December.

Anarchists, who had joined the march, started throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at the policemen who were guarding a government building, Darik reports, quoting Greek media. The police answered with tear gas and shock grenades.

One man has been hurt by a thrown stone during the riots and has been sent to a hospital. As the anarchists withdrew they inflicted damage on cars and small shops along the street.

The march in Athens was organized in solidarity with 44 year old Bulgarian national Kostadina Kuneva, secretary of a house keepers union in Athens, who was attacked in front of her home and got acid poured on her a few days before Christmas. It is suspected that the attack was a warning against Kuneva's syndicate activity.

http://www.bgnewsnet.com/story.php?lang=en&sid=23647