Every call by the government to the farming community for dialogue continues to fall into the void, as the roadblocks remain firmly in place and in fact the scene does not appear likely to change even at Christmas.
From Maximos, appeals for dialogue are continuous, although they do not find a positive response, nor do references to the inconvenience to society gain traction, since the farmers are determined to spend Christmas at the roadblocks, facilitating travelers’ movements by opening the toll booths.
“We are open to dialogue, but not to the unreasonable,” emphasized the Prime Minister, K. Mitsotakis, in his customary Sunday review, attributing to the farmers an insistence on a sterile refusal of dialogue that benefits no one and is a sign of a non constructive stance, while also asking them to think of the homeland.
In any case, the Mitsotakis government, in an effort to dismantle the farmers’ roadblocks before the holidays, even banking on divisions in the farmers’ meetings, played its last card by responding to their demands.
On Sunday 21/12, the Prime Minister reiterated that from the list of 27 demands by the farmers, 16 have already been satisfied or are being addressed positively, 4 are under processing or discussion in order to find a solution, and only 7 cannot be resolved.
Nevertheless, with anxiety at Maximos in the red, as time is running out and a radical solution to yet another problem, that of the farmers, has not been given to calm reactions and put an end to the roadblocks, appeals for dialogue that will bring sustainable solutions are daily.
Mitsotakis on farmers: Sterile refusal of dialogue – No to the unreasonable
“I insist that we are open to dialogue, but not to the unreasonable. From the list of 27 demands by the farmers, 16 have already been satisfied or are being addressed positively, 4 are under processing or discussion in order to find a solution, and only 7 cannot be resolved either because they conflict with fundamental European rules and the operation of the CAP or because they are fiscally unfeasible. The insistence, therefore, on a sterile refusal of dialogue benefits no one and is a sign of a non constructive stance. The economic impacts of the roadblocks on the rest of society are already evident. The pursuit of demands must always be carried out with respect for the social whole,” underscored the Prime Minister in his Sunday review.
“And if the farmers at the roadblocks refuse to listen to the government, let them listen to the hoteliers, the restaurateurs, the chambers of commerce in their region. Their friends and relatives who want to travel and visit them for the holidays. But let them also think of our homeland, its international trade and the economic activity that their mobilizations adversely affect, and certainly without any positive impact for their demands,” he added.
“With this compass of dialogue, but also of defending social unity and progress, the government will proceed from now on. We do not belong to the school of politics that says ‘let us give even what we do NOT have’, as unfortunately we heard the leader of PASOK say. Nor could we ever consent to measures that place us outside the European acquis, especially when we are talking about Community agricultural subsidies. A significant opportunity is also our proposal for a high caliber cross party committee with the aim of modernizing the primary sector,” concluded Mr. Mitsotakis.
Tsiaras to farmers: The invitation to dialogue is open – We can find the path of understanding
“I believe that we can find the path of understanding” with the farmers, emphasized the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, reiterating that “the invitation to dialogue has always been open.”
Mr. Tsiaras, speaking on SKAI, stated that “there are other issues that we are willing to discuss,” but also specific limits for the country and a specific capacity in the national budget, while nevertheless referring to an effort to exhaust every possibility.
Referring to the “planning of the next day,” the Minister pointed out that “if we do not organize a national plan that takes all parameters into account in order to have a resilient sector, we will find ourselves facing challenges.”
Unyielding at the roadblocks the farmers – New meeting in Nikaia of Larissa
The farmers declare themselves determined to spend Christmas at the roadblocks, even facilitating travelers’ movements by opening the toll booths.
The farmers with their tractors remain on the national roads and at the customs posts, responding “no” to dialogue with the government without concrete commitments and not generalities. They also warn that they will proceed with other forms of mobilizations.
Indeed, at noon on Sunday 21/12 at 12:00, at the Nikaia of Larissa roadblock, the farmers will hold their general assembly to discuss their moves for the coming days.
However, today they will not proceed with opening the toll barriers, but on Monday 22/12 they may carry out a dynamic mobilization, without it being ruled out that it will take place in the Tempi tunnel on the Athens – Thessaloniki motorway, while from Tuesday 23/12 and for the period they will facilitate travelers’ movements, giving traffic at least two lanes at the points where the roadblocks have been set up.
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