Farmers stand firm – Critical moments for the future of the protests

The farmers’ mobilisations are entering their most critical phase, with attention now focused on the nationwide meeting scheduled for Sunday (4 January) in Malgara.

On the threshold of 2026, tractors remain on the roads. Night-time aerial images from the Nikaia roadblock are emblematic: an endless line of lights and metal masses in the darkness, tents illuminated through the night, and barrels lit with fire to fend off the bitter cold.

In a statement, the Secretariat of the Nationwide Committee of Roadblocks stresses that farmers have the majority of society on their side and have repelled every attempt to slander or undermine their struggle.

“All they achieve is to intensify our anger and determination in the face of the government’s intransigence,” the farmers say, stressing that neither repression, nor attempts to turn society against them, nor token dialogue, pressure, or efforts to break their unity have managed to weaken them.

“We are not backing down, we are not afraid, we are not retreating. Our struggle is a struggle for survival,” they underline.

Roadblocks increase pressure on the government

Despite government efforts to divide the farmers’ front, any voices calling for unconditional dialogue appear drowned out by the growing momentum for continued mobilisations until more substantial commitments are made on farmers’ demands.

The government is now warning that if farmers escalate again with road closures, a “Plan B” will be activated, involving administrative measures against tractor owners participating in roadblocks.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his New Year’s message, referred to “roadblocks against society”. Further fuelling tensions were statements by government officials, including Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who told Alpha radio:

“Not everyone at the roadblocks is a farmer; there are certain communists and far-right elements. The roadblocks are not about agricultural issues but about bringing down the government. It is a political act, and we are sitting here and pampering them.”

However, the roadblocks also include many farmers aligned with the ruling New Democracy party, as ND MPs themselves had acknowledged during a heated meeting with Minister of Rural Development Kostas Tsiaras on 10 December. In particular, the roadblocks in Macedonia are controlled by right-wing farmers and livestock breeders, while in Thessaly, although a significant number of participants come from New Democracy, organisationally the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has the leading role.

The crucial meeting in Malgara

After a historic New Year’s Day that found them, for the first time ever, camped on the asphalt, farmers are stepping up preparations for their next moves.

The next 48 hours are considered decisive: today, Friday, the coordinating body of the Nikaia roadblock is meeting, while tomorrow a major assembly will take place for the farmers who have been stationed there for more than a month.

Of pivotal importance, however, is the nationwide assembly to be held this coming Sunday in Malgara, where representatives from 50 roadblocks are expected to take part.

Farmers celebrate 2026 at the roadblocks

Farmers’ determination was also evident on New Year’s Eve, when they turned the national highway into an open-air venue. With temperatures below zero, they lit fires in barrels, set up grills with kokoretsi, and welcomed 2026 with a live rebetiko band and hot wine.

The traditional New Year’s cake was cut on the bonnet of a tractor, with farmers sending a message of unity: “The lucky coin belongs to every tent at the roadblock.” When asked about a slice for the government, the reply was disarming: “Shall we cut one for the government? We cut it earlier this afternoon!”

Despite the festive pause, the core issue remains unchanged, as a member of the Coordinating Committee put it succinctly:

“When it comes to our survival, our dignity, our very lives, we are not prepared to take even a single step back.”