Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-01-26

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Farmers meeting in Nikaia, Sindos decide to escalate protest action

[01] Farmers meeting in Nikaia, Sindos decide to escalate protest action

They announced plans to extend their blockades of national highways to six hours a day, at times to be decided by the individual protest blocks, though their intention is for road blocks to be coordinated and occur at the same times. They will also seek to join forces with other social groups, participating in other strike action, such as the February 4 general strike.

Regarding the prospects of dialogue with the prime minister, the farmers said the government must first take its proposals for pension reform and taxation off the table, starting dialogue on these issues from scratch, while the talks must also examine the matter of production costs.

A decision to escalate action was also reached by a farmers' meeting in Sindos, Thessaloniki on Tuesday, where 66 groups of protesting farmers were represented. Participants repeated their refusal to meet the prime minister unless the draft legislation with the tax and pension reforms was first withdrawn. They also refused to meet the leaders of any of the political parties unless they first receive guarantees about the stance the parties' will adopt.

The Sindos meeting also appealed for mass participation in a rally that will take place in Thessaloniki on January 28 at 15:00, on the day the Agrotica trade fair is being opened by Rural Development and Food Minister Vangelis Apostolou.

Farmers at Sindos decided to block roads from 18:00- 21:00 on Tuesday, while the debate on the proposed pension system reforms is taking place in Parliament, and on Wednesday from 12:00-14:00 and from 18:00-21:00.

The coordinating committee of the Tempi farmers will meet at 19:00 in order to be briefed by its representatives about developments in Thessaloniki and to decide on further action.

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