ATHENS, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Greek farmers have launched a nationwide protest to seek financial support from the state, blocking parts of highways with their tractors, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Tuesday.
From Monday evening, the Athens-Thessaloniki highway has been shut down in both directions on the outskirts of Larissa city, about 200 km northwest of the capital Athens, and traffic has been redirected around the blockade.
At least 500 tractors are lined up at the site, as farmers have been requesting, among others, lower tax rates, better prices for their products and increased state subsidies for their losses caused by natural disasters.
Similar gatherings are seen in many parts of the country.
Farmers' protests have almost become an annual winter tradition in Greece in recent years, which could last as long as over a month. Blockades have caused disruptions in both imports and exports.
