Greek farmers protesting delays in European Union subsidy payments signalled on Friday that they could escalate road and border blockades over the weekend, raising the risk of major transport disruptions across northern Greece.
Farmers at Malgara, west of Thessaloniki, are considering blocking the Athens-bound carriageway at the local toll station from midday on Saturday, according to protest representatives. Additional gatherings are planned in Trilofo, Derveni, Kardylia and Niselli in Central Macedonia.
Producers in Halkidoni said they intend to block the junction on the old Thessaloniki–Edessa national road for two to three hours on Saturday afternoon.
Following a meeting in Exochi on Friday, farmers are also weighing an indefinite blockade of the Exochi and Promachonas border crossings with Bulgaria. They have already announced plans to close the Evzoni crossing with North Macedonia to all cars and trucks from noon on Saturday, while a decision on a possible blockade at the Niki crossing is expected later on Friday.
In Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, traffic was continuing normally at the Ormenio crossing with Bulgaria and at Kipoi on the border with Turkey, although tractors remained positioned along access roads. Farmers in the region, who allowed traffic to flow during the holiday period, are scheduled to meet on Saturday to decide on further action.
The protests are part of broader mobilisations by Greek farmers over unpaid subsidies and rising production costs, as pressure mounts on the government to address their demands.