Greek farmers on standby

Farmers in the northern Greek regions of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace threatened over the weekend to renew protest action against the leftist-led government’s “painful measures.”

“It so happened that farmers and fishermen were the first to be targeted by the measures which have already gone into effect, but the protests and the battles have to be waged by society as a whole,” said a statement by the farmers, who are resisting a hike in taxes and social security contributions.

There was no reaction from the government.

Last year, a lengthy blockade by Greek farmers on the country’s border with Bulgaria threatened to disrupt relations between the two Balkan neighbors.