Greek farmers protesting against pension cuts and new taxes blocked Agricultural Development Minister Vangelis Apostolou in a regional administrative building in the city of Komotini for several hours on Wednesday when the minister refused to speak to them, Kathimerini reports.
Dozens of farmers trying to force their way into the building were kept out by riot police on Wednesday.
Local media reported that police used tear gas inside the Rhodope Prefecture headquarters where Apostolou was trapped, while protesters threw smoke bombs at law enforcement officers.
The farmers held a rally outside the Rhodope Prefecture headquarters in northern Greece where Apostolou was visiting to talk with regional authorities. The minister changed his program and went to the Rhodope Region headquarters instead.
Greek farmers also organized protests against pension reforms at several other locations on Wednesday, blocking major highways, thoroughfares and public squares in many parts of Greece, including Thessaloniki, the Vale of Tempe and towns in Argolida in the Peloponnese.
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras promised to revise austerity reforms, such as pension cuts and tax hikes, after securing victory in the January parliamentary elections.
However, in July, the country’s government signed an agreement with international creditors approving a third bailout package for Athens worth 86 billion euros in exchange for the highly unpopular austerity, in the hope that the lenders will discuss debt relief.
