A never ending nightmare for Maximos Mansion over the farmers’ issue, as the roadblocks are not only strengthening, but are also saying “no” to Mitsotakis’ call for dialogue with open roads on Monday 15/12, demanding first answers to their list of demands.
The government and the farmers are being driven to extremes, as calls for dialogue so far are falling on deaf ears, with the result that the farmers’ roadblocks remain in place for the 15th day, sending a message to Maximos Mansion for solutions here and now.
Indeed, the prime minister, K. Mitsotakis, appeared irritated by the farmers’ negative stance, responding that “dialogue does not take place with ultimatums”.
Without providing answers to the farmers’ demands, Mr. Mitsotakis rushed to make a conciliatory move, clarifying that the government takes into account every fair demand and is already studying a package of additional support measures, within the capabilities of the national economy and in accordance with European rules, which will be based on resources from the reallocation of unused amounts that arose from the new framework for agricultural subsidies.
The climate at Maximos Mansion is heavy and there is agitation, as there appears to be no solution on the horizon that will dismantle the farmers’ roadblocks before the holidays.
The farmers are sending their demands to the government and are asking for answers as a precondition for dialogue, while the government insists on its line for dialogue with open roads in order to find solutions to their problems through discussion. Thus, the farmers’ roadblocks are holding firm, with warnings for Christmas on the roads with tractors and escalation of mobilizations.
In fact, the farmers remain unyielding at the roadblocks and are warming up the engines of their tractors for dynamic mobilizations with the closure of National roads and bypasses, declaring themselves determined to spend the holidays on the roads as long as the government does not respond to their demands.
At the same time, with the front with the farmers remaining open, the government is coming under fire from the opposition.
Opposition parties accuse it of sham dialogue and mockery of the farmers, while they characterize the refusal of the agricultural community to come to the dialogue table as justified, since it does not give them specific commitments.
Terror at Maximos Mansion - Calls for dialogue fall on deaf ears - Mitsotakis’ response to the roadblocks
The Mitsotakis government is cornered, especially after the OPEKEPE scandal and delayed payments, at a time when farmers are crying out in anguish for their survival and for the next day in the collapsing primary sector.
Even after the “no” to dialogue it received from the Panhellenic Assembly in Nikaia of Larissa, it continues calls for a meeting in an effort to manage the open front with the agricultural community that refuses to close.
It is characteristic that yesterday (13/12), after the farmers’ decision not to go to Maximos Mansion at 17:00 on Monday 15/12 as proposed by K. Mitsotakis, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and government spokesperson, P. Marinakis, from the Plenary of Parliament during the discussion of the state budget, noted that when you present your demands without wanting to discuss them, then dialogue is sham.
“We have said yes to dialogue, no to the closure of roads, something that reflects the entirety of citizens,” Mr. Marinakis repeated, stressing again that “we are the government that gave and continues to give from money that actually exists and not from money trees.
We provided a solution for cheaper electricity, for permanent return of agricultural diesel, we reduced VAT on fertilizers, on food, on agricultural machinery, and only this year, compared to last year, more money is being given to farmers.”
Mitsotakis irritated by the farmers’ refusal: Dialogue does not take place with ultimatums
Clearly irritated by the “no” he received from the agricultural community in response to his call for a meeting on the afternoon of Monday 15/12 at Maximos Mansion, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis responded that “dialogue does not take place with ultimatums”.
Without providing answers to the farmers’ demands, Mr. Mitsotakis rushed to make a conciliatory move, clarifying that the government takes into account every fair demand and is already studying a package of additional support measures, within the capabilities of the national economy and in accordance with European rules, which will be based on resources from the reallocation of unused amounts that arose from the new framework for agricultural subsidies.
“My position is clear: roadblocks that in practice turn against other social groups do not serve the farmers’ demands. On the contrary, they undermine them. And the occupation of roads and other public infrastructure that belongs to everyone is not responsible action. But moves that harm the country. And, of course, local economies in the regions,” the prime minister stressed, while also expressing his surprise at the agricultural community’s “no” to a meeting on Monday 15/12 at Maximos Mansion.
In his Sunday post for the weekly review of government work, Mr. Mitsotakis stated that “with surprise, in fact, I learned of the decision of the Nikaia roadblock to refuse my invitation for a meeting with a nationwide delegation of farmers, on Monday. Dialogue does not take place with ultimatums. And solutions arise only through discussion. Whoever refuses these principles of logic and democracy assumes a great burden toward the rest of society”.
He reiterated that “the door of the government remains open to those farmers and livestock breeders who want to meet either with me or with the Vice President of the Government Kostis Hatzidakis and the Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras. Something that the farmers and livestock breeders of Crete did recently”.
“At the same time, however, my position for the sanitization of OPEKEPE through its integration into AADE remains non negotiable,” Mr. Mitsotakis clarified.
He explained that “this is the catalyst that will modernize the primary sector in the country overall. With the result that on the one hand, EU funds will finally strengthen national production. But also that honest farmers will receive more money every year. It seems, however, that this bold decision of ours unsettled quite a few who had become accustomed to operating by exploiting the gaps and dysfunctions of the old system. I regret it, but this pathology of 40 years and cross party responsibility must come to an end. No one, after all, wants some opportunists to live at the expense of honest professionals, and at the expense of the State itself.”
Fire against the opposition
Firing shots against the opposition, the prime minister spoke of a contradictory stance.
As he explained, “while for a long time it has been denouncing the problems of OPEKEPE, now that the government and the European Commission are proceeding with its reform, it reacts. And, of course, it does not answer what all citizens ask: does it want the roads closed or open to everyone?”
Open invitation for dialogue with farmers by Tsiaras: There are demands that must be put on the discussion table
“I will insist on the open invitation to dialogue. If we do not sit at the table to discuss, the farmers’ own effort is wronged, because there are demands that must be put on the discussion table and they will be wronged. Farmers also assume responsibility for their own choice not to come to dialogue,” stated the Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, after the agricultural community’s “no” to a meeting at Maximos Mansion with the prime minister on Monday 15/12.
Mr. Tsiaras, speaking on MEGA, reiterated that dialogue is needed in order to provide solutions to the problems facing the primary sector.
As he stated, “for quite some time now we have been recording farmers’ demonstrations, with the roadblocks as their peak. We are talking about a difficult period for the primary sector. However, we have said that when there is a problem we must sit down and solve it. The prime minister himself took the initiative and asked farmers to designate a delegation and come to his office at the Maximos Mansion to solve the problems”.
Regarding agricultural diesel, the minister explained that “we have a refund of the special consumption tax through a legislative regulation. In this implementation we saw that there were irregularities. One concerned the fact that some invoices were not uploaded correctly to the platforms required by AADE so that the recording could be done and the special consumption tax refunded correctly”.
“There has been a calculation of the quantities of diesel needed per crop. There are some errors there. There are crops that need less diesel and others that need more. The possibility will be given to correct invoices that were not uploaded correctly and farmers will receive the money they are entitled to,” he added.
Furthermore, he spoke of a tough reform regarding the transition of OPEKEPE to AADE.
Regarding sheep and goat pox, Mr. Tsiaras stressed that close cooperation between the Ministry of Rural Development and livestock breeders is needed to close the cycle of the animal disease.
The list of farmers’ demands
Farmers are sending a list of their demands to Maximos Mansion and the competent ministers, as decided on Saturday 13/12 at the Panhellenic Assembly in Nikaia of Larissa.
The agricultural community insists that without specific solutions and tangible answers to their demands, which will be sent in writing today (14/12), dialogue cannot have substantive content and thus they remain at the roadblocks throughout the country.
The list of their demands is as follows:
1) Statute of limitations for prosecutions of farmers by Parliament.
2) Payment of the money owed by the government, whether from subsidies or compensation or from anywhere else.
3) Minimum guaranteed prices.
4) Electricity at 7 cents.
5) Tax free diesel at the pump.
6) Reduction of production costs.
7) Abolition of the energy exchange.
8) OPEKEPE to be sanitized.
9) The stolen funds of OPEKEPE to be distributed to the real beneficiaries.
10) Establishment of an audit mechanism in the Organization.
11) OPEKEPE must not be transferred to AADE.
12) The names to be made public.
From their side, livestock breeders demand:
1) Vaccination with full compensation.
2) Replacement of lost income.
3) Free reconstitution of herds.
Farmers’ ultimatum to the government: Answer the demands or escalation from Tuesday 16/12
Farmers are determined to proceed with escalation of mobilizations in the coming days, sending an ultimatum to the government to answer their demands, otherwise there will be no end.
Already, as they have announced, on Tuesday 16/12 they will participate in the nationwide strike, on Wednesday 17/12 and Thursday 18/12 they will carry out local actions at the roadblocks, and on Friday 19/12 they will proceed with symbolic closure of side roads for some hours.
In Thesprotia, farmers are proceeding with a daily two hour closure of the port in the evening hours, while on the morning of Monday 15/12 they will hold a symbolic protest at the local offices of OPEKEPE and at the Regional Unit of Thesprotia.
On the afternoon of Tuesday 16/12 they will hold a solidarity march to the port from the Thesprotia Labor Center, while farmers and livestock breeders of Ioannina Prefecture will gather in the central square of the city with tractors and agricultural machinery, thus transferring the mobilization from the roadblock at Kalpaki.
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