Farmers boost road protests

Farmers in central Macedonia and other parts of northern Greece drove their tractors onto key junctions of the road network on Thursday, following the example of others in central Greece who launched their anti-austerity protests earlier this week.

Unionists representing the farmers have threatened to reinforce their presence on Greek roads every day, ratcheting up their action until the government satisfies their demands.

Among other things, farmers are calling for lower production costs, tax-free oil, better rates for electricity and water, the abolition of value-added tax on agricultural supplies and vehicles, and their exemption from the ENFIA property tax.