PM affirms commitment to dialogue with farmers, advocates for CAP reform
The government remains committed to engaging in dialogue with the farmers, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis assured during his weekly review of government initiatives, as farming unionists revved up their tractors in preparation for further action.
In a social media post Sunday, the conservative premier commended the farmers for their “orderly” protest in the Greek capital and expressed intentions to personally visit the Thessaly region in central Greece to confer with union representatives.
Mitsotakis acknowledged the validity of many of the farmers’ concerns, stating, “The government acknowledges that the farmers are correct on several issues – though not all – and we have addressed as many of their demands as possible, within our fiscal constraints.”
He emphasized the paramount importance of cultivating a sustainable farming sector, highlighting the Greek initiative aimed at collaborating with Mediterranean countries to advocate for changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Furthermore, Mitsotakis highlighted an upcoming meeting of relevant ministers from EU MED-9 countries, including Greece, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Croatia, and Slovenia, scheduled for Monday to address this matter.
Farmers from the Macedonia region, protesting against escalating production costs and seeking compensation payments, plan to temporarily close Greece’s border crossing with North Macedonia for four hours on Monday. This action, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., is timed to coincide with the EU meeting.
