Greek govt set for showdown with protesting farmers

Greek officials on Thursday prepared to confront farmers who have blockaded motorways for weeks in a dispute over subsidies and finances, after last-ditch compromise proposals failed to break the deadlock.

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said authorities would "not allow the country to be cut in two", telling Mega TV: "There is no room for additional measures for the farmers."

The farmers said they would step up roadblocks for a two-day period after rejecting government proposals including cheaper electricity and fuel.

The protest, which began late November, has seen several motorways and border crossings intermittently blocked by thousands of tractors.

They had eased the blockade to allow people to travel during the Christmas holidays.

The farmers are outraged over long delays in subsidy payments triggered by a scandal involving embezzled EU agriculture aid, and are also under pressure from low prices, rising energy costs and worsening climate conditions.

They are also frustrated after more than 450,000 sheep and goats were culled owing to a pox epidemic.

Last month the farmers rejected an invitation to talks from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and have ignored repeated warnings from the government to back down.

Officials have accused opposition parties of encouraging the farmers to reject talks.

Scheduled payments to farmers have been delayed by an ongoing investigation into fraudulent EU subsidy claims worth millions of euros, revealed in May by the European Public Prosecutor's Office.

(AFP)