**Greek Farmers to Escalate Protests with Athens Rally Amid Energy Woes**
ATHENS – Greek farmers are gearing up for a significant rally in the nation’s capital early next week, as they seek to amplify their voice in response to the persistent rise in energy costs and stiffening foreign competition. After a series of localized protests, farmer unions announced on Thursday their plans to converge on Athens for a major demonstration.
In recent weeks, Greek farmers have made headlines by rallying with their tractors, causing temporary disruption to roads and border crossings that are vital for freight transport. This wave of protests places Greek agriculturalists in solidarity with their European counterparts in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and Italy, who share similar concerns.
The Greek government, acknowledging the strife within the agricultural sector, has proposed additional aid measures including lower electricity prices slated for a two-year duration. This comes on the heels of an extension of a tax rebate for agricultural diesel which was unveiled last week. While these measures are intended to alleviate some financial pressure, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has underscored the nation’s fiscal limitations during these challenging times.
However, the concessions thus far have fallen short of expectations for the farming community. Unions met in Larissa—one of the central hubs for these discussions—to deliberate on their next strategy. It was here that Rizos Maroudas, head of the Larissa farmers union, informed reporters of the decision to organize a large-scale rally.
Maroudas stated, “We’ve decided to organise a big rally with our tractors and cars in Athens on Tuesday.” This move is set to mark an escalation in their protest actions, signaling a deepening concern over rising energy costs that are impacting their livelihoods.
The upcoming rally in Athens is expected to draw significant attention to the plight of Greek farmers as they strive for more substantial support and solutions to ensure the sustainability of their operations amidst an economically challenging climate.
