Thousands of farmers from all over Greece gathered at Syntagma Square early this morning in preparation of their rally at noon against the government’s controversial tax bill. The farmers are protesting about the new tax on real estate and agricultural parcels.
The farmers from Crete, who arrived in Athens at dawn, set up tables to offer wine, tsikoudia and other local delicacies and snacks. On Stadiou Street, the police had set up a blockade in order to prevent a truck with oranges from passing. The farmers who were there tried to take the oranges and distribute them to passengers in Syntagma Square, but the police stopped them. The farmers responded by throwing the oranges at the police who were guarding the Parliament. Police proceeded with the use of tear gas and shortly after 15.00pm, a farmer got seriously injured when hit by a policeman with a baton. As reported, the farmers will continue their protest outside the Ministry of Finance.
The president of the federation of farmer associations in Heraklion explained that the taxation of agricultural land will be destructive for the agricultural sector, while the president of the Panhellenic Confederation of Agricultural Unions and Cooperatives (PASEGES), Tzannetos Karamichas, stated that the new tax goes against the essential values of freedom and ownership.
During the discussions in Parliament, the representative of PASEGES, Konstantinos Skiadas, accused the Greek government of enforcing an unfair tax which farmers can’t afford to pay, rather than supporting agriculture as a primary sector of production.
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