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Nationwide farmer protests in Greece have escalated, causing widespread disruptions to transportation and logistics. Normal operations are unlikely to resume before Christmas.

Dec,12,2025Views: 398

Due to delayed agricultural subsidies and soaring production costs, Greek farmers' protests have spread nationwide. Tractors have blocked highways, borders, and ports, causing severe logistics delays. International freight companies like Kuehne+Nagel have issued warnings.


Recently, Greek farmers launched large-scale protests over delayed agricultural subsidies and high production costs, with the movement rapidly expanding from local areas to nationwide. Protesters deployed thousands of tractors and trucks to set up roadblocks on multiple major highways, causing severe congestion on the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway and the east-west Igoumenitsa-Turkey border route. Simultaneously, the Promachonas border crossing to Bulgaria and the Kipoi border crossing to Turkey have been intermittently blocked, permitting only emergency and sensitive goods to pass.


According to foreign media reports, protesters plan to further block Thessaloniki Port and Airport, having already set up barriers in the southwest and central regions. The Port of Volos is also targeted for closure. With customs offices simultaneously occupied, inland border clearance efficiency has plummeted, causing vehicle queues stretching for kilometers. No clear timeline for restoration has been established.


International logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel stated that daily available transport capacity has sharply declined, forcing trucks to take detours and significantly reducing delivery timelines. Cross-border supply chains are facing severe challenges. Industry estimates suggest that if the situation persists, such disruptions may continue until the week before Christmas.


Objectively speaking, while farmers' demands have a factual basis, the complete blockade of critical infrastructure undoubtedly increases societal operational costs. Striking a balance between safeguarding livelihoods and maintaining order has become an urgent challenge for the Greek government. This incident also highlights the vulnerability of European agricultural policies amid high inflation.


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