Farmers’ Fury Hits Greek Ports Amid EU Aid Delays

Greek farmers from the Thessaly region, protesting over the delayed payment of European Union subsidies, block the port of the city of Volos.

Greek farmers escalated their nationwide protests this week, disrupting operations at the central port of Volos as part of a growing wave of blockades across the country. Thousands of tractors and trucks have been deployed to highways, border crossings, and now ports, creating widespread disruption to transport and trade.

The demonstrations stem from delays in European Union farm aid payments, with farmers facing a shortfall of more than €600 million. The delays are linked to ongoing corruption investigations, where some farmers—allegedly aided by state employees—faked land ownership to qualify for subsidies. As audits continue, disbursements have slowed, leaving many in the agricultural sector struggling with mounting production costs.

At Volos, farmers drove their tractors into the port, while local fishermen joined in solidarity by attempting a blockade from the sea. Riot police were deployed to contain the protest, underscoring the tense standoff between the government and demonstrators.

The protests have already disrupted traffic across major motorways and intermittently closed border crossings. Earlier this week, farmers on Crete blocked airports, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government. Officials have called emergency meetings to address the crisis, with the prime minister insisting that the government remains open to dialogue.

Beyond financial grievances, farmers are also grappling with an outbreak of sheep pox, which has forced the culling of hundreds of thousands of animals, further deepening the sector’s woes.

As the blockades stretch into their second week, the protests highlight the fragile state of Greece’s agricultural economy and the growing frustration among farmers who feel abandoned by both national authorities and the EU.