Farmers set to escalate protests over taxation demands

Northern Greek farmers are currently setting up road blocks and joining central Greek farmers in their protests against the government's taxation demands. Christos Kamtsis, a member of the coordination committee for farmers road blocks, warned that the protests could even possibly escalate.

According to a report from the state owned ANA-MPA, farmers oppose a measure requiring those with turnover below 40,000 Euros to keep accounts on spending and income.

Among other things, they demand:

• - a tax-free family income of 20,000 euros
• - increased by 5,000 euros for each child
• - farmers unable to pay debts to the state be not prosecuted
• - no seizure of property (fields or houses) of property valued up to 300,000 euros
• - 30 percent haircut in loans up to 200,000 euros.
• - reduction of production costs (by getting tax-free oil and low electricity rates)
• - be able to boost livestock breeding
•      "Our struggle is not politically motivated. We are deeply concerned at the future of the agricultural sector," Kamtsis told the state news agency.

(Yeah... Right!)

Farmers' protests so far have been mainly focused in central and northern Greece. The two main road blocks are in Nikeaa on the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway outside Larissa, central Greece, and at the junction of Kouloura on Egnatia highway, in northern Greece. At Nikea, tensions flared between police and farmers earlier this week, when farmers attempted to block the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway and were prevented by police.