Government issues warning as escalation looms

As farmers announced on Wednesday that they will intensify their protests and blockades of national highways, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mistotakis hinted that the government may part with its, so far, conciliatory tone.

More specifically, and for the first time, he sent a stern message to farmers, saying that "no one can blackmail society, no matter how fair the demand may be." He reiterated that dialogue with the farmers remains on the table, but on the condition there are no roadblocks and disruptions to society's collective interests.

"No one should feel that a social group can be given preferential treatment because it can shout more and demonstrate more vigorously," he said, deploring the closure of the roads.

He made similar remarks on Tuesday night, when he spoke with the president of the Hellenic American Chamber, Nikolaos Bakatselos, stressing that in...