Representatives of Greek farmers on Tuesday agreed upon 66 road blocks around Greece in protest against security fund reforms tabled in Greek Parliament.
Farmers unions have turned down the invitation to converse with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras unless they see proof that the government is truly committed to protecting their rights.
A rally has been organized for 3 pm Thursday in Thessaloniki at the opening of the Agrotica agricultural fair to be attended by Rural Development and Food Minister Vangelis Apostolou.
Road blocks on Wednesday have intensified as they take place from noon through 3 pm at Tempi, ahead of a meeting to decide whether there will be more road closures in the afternoon.
In Central and West Macedonia, there will be blocks at Promahonas customs between Greece and Bulgaria.
The Prefecture of Pieria will symbolically block roads with 800 tractors 2-3 pm. Kouloura, Imathia, will have a 400-tractor strong road block, shortly ahead of another gathering point of more than 750 tractors at Niselio on the Egnatia Highway Thessaloniki-Veria part of the Egnatia Highway.
The blοck at Kerdyllia is still in place where closures are scheduled from noon to 2 pm and 6 pm-9 pm at the Thessaloniki-Kavala part of the national thoroughfare.
At Kilkis, the block has over 450 tractors on the Thessaloniki-Petritsio part of the national highway. Meanwhile, more than 180 tractors have camped out at the Evzones customs.
At the Prefecture of Pella there are blocks at the Servica Bridge at Giannitsa, Melissi and Mandalos junction.
Thessaloniki has a number of blocks numbering 600 tractors at Derveni and Vasilika east of Thessaloniki from noon to 2 pm. Since yesterday, there have been blocks at the crossroads of Macedonia Airport.
Chalkidiki has three blocks at Ierissos, Nea Moudania and Nea Kallikrateia.
Malgara toll gates are blocked by 800 tractors that will close the toll gates from noon to 2 pm and 6-9 pm with 100 tractors, trucks, taxis and tourist buses.
Kastoria and Florina will have blocks from noon to 1 pm and 5-6 pm at Krystallopigi customs at the Greek-Albanian border.
The Florina-Edessa national highway is blocked at the Antigonou point.
Farmers hand out fruits and vegetables
On Wednesday, protesting farmers handed out fruits and vegetables at a produce market in Kolonos, near the center of Athens.
Dozens of people rushed pushing and shoving to get bags of produce for free, depleting the 20-ton stock in 20 minutes.
In a parallel protest action, farmers who sell their produce in open-air markets are on strike Wednesday and Thursday.
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