Farmers drove their tractors into downtown Athens to protest against rising fuel and production costs.
“We didn’t come for a walk. We came here to send a message. We believe that both the society and the government received that message,” a farmer said on TV.
Approximately 7,000 farmers besieged Athens in a major protest fighting for their rights and their survival, as they said.
Greek farmers’ protests followed a series of other similar protests around the world over the last weeks, demanding relief from the repercussions of the crisis that has affected them.
Their slogan “Without us, what will you eat?” appealed to the citizens who stood by their side.
They underlined the problem with soaring super market prices while the general inflation rate slows down. As they said, farmers sell oranges 40 cents a kilo and super markets sell them 1.40 euros, up 250%. This shows that something goes wrong.
They also referred to the “simplification” of the CAP that 9 countries of the South are asking for.
Support does not mean that one expects a government – which was very recently elected with 41% – to start handing out money. But it needs to receive the message. The primary sector crisis and the cost of living crisis go hand in hand.
