The meeting is a continuation of the one held in mid-February with representatives of the blockades as Mitsotakis had stated that he intends to continue the dialogue.
The total cost of the damage caused in Thessaly by the «Daniel» and «Elia» disasters exceeds €3 billion, of which more than €2 billion relates to infrastructure and more than €1 billion to compensation.
During the meetings, the Master Plan presented to him a few days ago by the Dutch company «HVA International» for water and flood management in order to «reconstruct» Thessaly will be discussed.
What farmers are asking for
The farmers, who held a rally yesterday Sunday in Killar, complain that they have not yet received compensation for the damage they suffered last September.
The Thessalian farmers are expected to ask the Prime Minister for immediate payment of flood compensation, reiterating the demand for immediate income replacement measures for 2024, reduction of production costs, non-implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and restoration and flood protection projects in Thessaly.
From the government camp has made it clear that they will be on the side of the affected farmers and farmers of Thessaly «as we did from the first moment».
A series of measures have already been taken both for the restoration of damage and the compensation of affected producers, while as highlighted in the inter-ministerial meeting held a decade ago at the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, there are other funds that will be allocated to return Thessaly to the situation before the disasters.
«We will raise the issues of Thessaly, which has been devastated by the floods, and we are waiting for solutions and answers, we are waiting for a timetable, we are waiting for these demands to be met. We send today the message from Killeler, a message of rebellion, a message of resistance» says the president of the Federation of Agricultural Associations of Larissa, Root Maroudas.
«We are asking for replacement of lost income in terms of areas that are below the water table yet will not be able to farm. We ask for immediate solutions what will be done with these fields that will not be able to cultivate especially for Lake Karla that 150,000 acres are under the water level even as flood control works» said the press representative of the Federation of Agricultural Associations of Larissa, Socrates Eliftiras.
«We are fulfilling the farmers» mandate to be here in the form of a rally and not just as a day of remembrance of the fallen farmers in the agricultural idea. Problems still bring us here, problems that have not been solved. We are not lowering the flag as long as our demands, our just demands as recognized by all are solved," said the president of Platykambos Agricultural Cooperative, Yannis Koukoutsis.
Their tractors on the streets of Agia
The tractors of the farmers of the region will be in the center of Agia today again. The gathering is symbolic and will last as long as the Prime Minister will inform the delegation of Thessalian farmers at the Maximou building about the content of the Dutch study on water management in Thessaly and the development of measures for the reconstruction of the region after the floods and the recovery of the primary sector.
