Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Farmers in northern Greece disrupted cross-border traffic on Wednesday in growing protests over delays in EU-backed subsidy payments linked to an investigation into a corruption scandal.
Convoys of tractors blocked roads north macedonia, bulgaria And turkey Forcing drivers to take longer detours.
Over the weekend, hundreds of farmers took to the streets and blocked roads with tractors in several areas.
Protests by farmers are common in Greece, but the latest unrest has erupted over delays in subsidy payments following revelations of massive fraudulent claims for EU funds.
The scandal led to the resignation of five senior government officials in June and the phasing out of a state agency that handles agricultural subsidies.
Dozens of people have been arrested across Greece in recent weeks for allegedly filing false claims, in response to an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The independent EU body dealing with financial crime said in late October that the investigation was linked to “a systematic large-scale subsidy fraud scheme and money-laundering activities”.
Greece’s Public Order Minister Michaelis Chrysochoidis said this week that the government was ready for talks with protest leaders but would not tolerate the closure of key transit points, including ports and railway hubs.