Govt panics as farmers escalate battles with tractors at every corner

Four days ahead of strike action scheduled for Thursday, February 4, the government appears unable to appease farmers in their social security demands. The intensity of the farmers’ reaction to planned measures with road blocks around the country appear to have surprised the government with fears that the situation could create a spill-over effect of discontent to other factions.

The climate at the Agrotica trade fair fuelled a fued between unionists and Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) deputies with protestors raising their voices during the speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas in Thessaloniki as well as increased tension at farmers road blocks at Thessaly, Crete and elsewhere around the country.

In an effort to forge a line of defence, SYRIZA deputies have collaborated with ultranationalist Golden Dawn deputies to torpedo dialogue on social security reform. At the SYRIZA party headquarters on Koumoundourou Street in the Athens Center, there is talk of “invasion of party events” in an “effort to create a climate of technical friction for the enjoyment of TV bulletins”. They say that the episodes taking place “bear no relation to the necessary dialogue on the real problems in the agricultural sector.”

The government states that farmers are victims of misniformation. Labor Minister George Katrougalos said that he is willing to talk with farmers on social security, with discussion on transitional stages of increases to social security contributions. The government’s credibility, however, is low with a number of contradictory tactics, stands and panicked moves.