- Farmers attempted to advance on the Rio–Antirrio Bridge, sparking clashes with police.
- Police used stun grenades after protesters moved on foot when the tractors were stopped.
- Farmers withdrew from Volos port after hours of disruption but redirected forces back to the Thessaly roadblocks.
- Major Greek highways and border crossings remain blocked.
- Payment delays stem from a corruption investigation into falsified land ownership.
- Government promises more aid by year’s end.
A High Tension Standoff at One of Greece’s Most Iconic Crossings
Farmers protesting severe delays in agricultural aid tried on Wednesday to reach the Rio–Antirrio Bridge, a structure that is not simply a piece of infrastructure but a national symbol.
For readers unfamiliar with it:
What is the Rio–Antirrio Bridge?
The Rio–Antirrio Bridge (Greek: Γέφυρα Ρίου–Αντιρρίου), officially named the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge, is one of the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and the longest of the fully suspended type.
It stretches across the narrow Rion Strait, linking Rio in the Peloponnese with Antirrio on mainland Greece.
The bridge opened on August 12, 2004, one day before the Athens Olympics, and famously carried the Olympic flame during its inauguration. It is both an engineering marvel and a symbolic gateway between the south and the north.
This is the crossing farmers attempted to blockade today — a place where even minor disruptions ripple across the entire country.
Police Hold the Line as Farmers Advance on Foot
Farmers driving tractors from the Patra region approached the bridge from the Rio side. Police intervened early, halting the convoy before it reached the tolls.
But the protesters did not stop.
Many left their tractors behind and continued on foot, leading to scuffles and a brief collapse of order.
Officers deployed stun grenades to push the crowd back, dispersing them momentarily before tensions eased.
On the mainland side, police also intercepted another group approaching from Gavrolimni near Antirrio, preventing a coordinated attempt to surround the crossing.
The bridge remained open, but the message was clear: farmers are taking their fight to national choke points.
Volos Port Clears, but the Protests Expand Elsewhere
While the Rio confrontation unfolded, farmers in Volos began pulling back their tractors from the commercial port after hours of blockage. Fishermen had joined them earlier, and a small group remained outside the gates even as the main demonstration dispersed.
Authorities expect the port to gradually return to normal operations, allowing delayed trucks to resume loading.
Earlier, ERT reported that police had issued a 1 a.m. deadline for protesters to leave, backed by a prosecutor’s order authorizing arrests for obstructing traffic.
But leaving Volos does not mean retreat.
Many of the tractors withdrawing from the port immediately returned to reinforce blockades across the broader Thessaly region.
Across Greece, major highways remain clogged:
- Athens–Thessaloniki axis
- Egnatia Odos
- Ionia Odos
- Olympia Odos
- Border crossings with Bulgaria
- Border crossings with North Macedonia
Greece’s transport map now resembles a grid of pressure points.
Aid Delays, Corruption Audits, and a Sector Near Collapse
The protest stems from widespread delays in agricultural aid payments. The cause is politically explosive: a corruption investigation into falsified land ownership claims, allegedly involving both farmers and state employees.
Ongoing audits have slowed payments to everyone, including those who filed legitimate applications.
The timing, farmers say, is catastrophic. They are already battling a sheep pox outbreak that has forced the culling of hundreds of thousands of animals.
Under growing pressure, the government says it will release more funds by the end of the year, raising total aid to €3.7 billion. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis chaired a meeting at the Maximos Mansion on Wednesday, urging protesters to lift blockades and return to negotiations.
Farmer representatives plan a nationwide assembly in Nikaia on Saturday to decide their next moves.
Featured image by Eusebius, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39009078
