Greek farmers clash with police amid protests over delayed EU subsidies

Hundreds of farmers block parts of the Athens-Thessaloniki highway in protest over the delayed payments.Published On 1 Dec 2025Greek farmers have clashed with police during protests in central and northern regions over the delayed payment of European Union subsidies.Police used tear gas on Sunday as the farmers brought hundreds of tractors to block the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway near the central city of Larissa.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Minorities hail renewed space as Pope Leo visits Turkiyelist 2 of 3Europe reimagines rearmament at sea, learning from Russia’s war on Ukrainelist 3 of 3Why does the UK want to copy Denmark’s stringent immigration policies?end of listOfficers made three arrests, police said, but the farmers managed to close the highway ahead of additional protests planned for next week.“We will stay here until [the government] gives solutions,” local farm trade unionist Costas Tzelas told reporters.The delay in payments comes amid investigations into a scandal in which some farmers allegedly faked land and livestock ownership to receive EU agricultural subsidies.Greek officials say the fraudsters made more than 30 million euros ($35m) worth of false claims for Common Agricultural Policy subsidies.A drone view shows farmers’ tractors blocking a highway during a protest in Nikaia, near Larissa, Greece, November 30, 2025 [Alexandros Avramidis/ Reuters]Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Christos Kellas told the ERT public broadcaster on Sunday that farmers had received reduced EU subsidies as the investigation into fraudulent claims was still under way.“They received 100 million euros [$116m] less at this stage,” he added. “After appeals, those who are entitled to funds will receive them.”Greek authorities have launched separate investigations, and the parliament is probing the government agency OPEKEPE, which distributes roughly 2.5 billion euros ($2.9bn) in EU aid annually to hundreds of thousands of farmers.