Greek farmers warn of protests over gov’t measures

Farmers in northern Greece have warned of further protests over planned changes to their tax and pension status as well as the government’s failure to compensate some of them for damage caused by the Russian embargo on European Union food imports.

“With plans to impose a 25 percent tax on all earnings, an increase in social security contributions and an upfront payment of 75 percent of income tax, people in the primary sector are in a truly dire situation,” Tasos Halkidis, the president of an association representing 62 unions across Greece, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

“On top of all these impending problems, peach growers in northern Greece… have still not received a single euro following the losses suffered as a result of the Russian embargo,” he said.

Halkidis said that union representatives will hold talks with either Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras or Defense Minister Panos Kammenos next week.

The outcome of the talks will determine the farmers’ next steps, he said.