Crete farmers’ protest shuts Heraklion airport

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The news in Greek

1. κτηνοτρόφος  (m.)
   άνθρωπος που εκτρέφει ζώα, συνήθως για παραγωγή γάλακτος, κρέατος ή μαλλιού ↩︎
2. διαδήλωση  (f.)
   συγκέντρωση πολλών ανθρώπων στον δρόμο για να δείξουν τη γνώμη ή τη διαμαρτυρία τους ↩︎
3. επιδότηση  (f.)
   χρήματα που δίνει το κράτος ή ένας οργανισμός για να βοηθήσει μια δραστηριότητα ή μια ομάδα ανθρώπων ↩︎
4. σύγκρουση  (f.)
   έντονη διαφωνία ή βίαιη επαφή ανάμεσα σε ανθρώπους ή ομάδες ↩︎
5. τραυματισμός  (m.)
   ζημιές ή πληγές στο σώμα ενός ανθρώπου από ατύχημα ή βία ↩︎
6. διάλογος  (m.)
   συζήτηση ανάμεσα σε δύο ή περισσότερους ανθρώπους που ανταλλάσσουν απόψεις ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Why are the farmers and livestock breeders in Crete protesting?

Question 2: What happened at Heraklion airport during the protests?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
κτηνοτρόφος  (m.)	livestock farmer
διαδήλωση  (f.)	demonstration
επιδότηση  (f.)	subsidy
σύγκρουση  (f.)	clash / conflict
τραυματισμός  (m.)	injury
διάλογος  (m.)	dialogue

Read the full story

The airport of Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis”, on the Greek island of Crete, remained closed to flights on Tuesday morning after large‑scale farmers’ and livestock breeders’ protests led to serious clashes with police.

According to local media, several hundred farmers, stockbreeders, beekeepers and fishermen from the regions of Heraklion, Lasithi and Rethymno entered the airport area on Monday and reached the runway and aircraft parking zone. They blocked operations for hours, forcing the suspension of flights. Services were halted again at 23:00 on Monday and were expected to resume at around 10:00–11:00 on Tuesday, when a coordinating committee of protesters was due to meet and decide the next steps.

The action at Heraklion formed part of wider nationwide farmers’ protests in Greece, with roadblocks and tractor convoys reported in regions such as Thessaly, Central Greece, Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace and the Peloponnese. In some areas, farmers have warned that, if their demands are not met, they may also target other key transport hubs, including ports and additional airports.

The situation became especially tense in Chania, western Crete, where clashes broke out between farmers and riot police (MAT) near the city’s airport. Witnesses described the exchange of stones and other objects from the protesters and the use of tear gas and stun grenades by police. Video recordings show a police car being damaged with wooden sticks and traditional Cretan staffs, known as “katsounes”, and then overturned.

Authorities state that at least eight to nine police officers were injured, including one officer who suffered a jaw injury from a stone and required stitches in hospital. Police have used handheld cameras and drones to identify those involved. Around 200 people have reportedly been identified from the footage, and at least two arrests have already been made in Heraklion.

Those allegedly involved in the most serious incidents face a wide range of criminal charges. These include attempted murder on multiple counts and by joint action, illegal possession and use of weapons, causing dangerous bodily harm, repeated criminal damage, disturbance of public order and obstruction of transport. Police are also examining whether the circumstances justify charges of forming a criminal organisation. Greek media report that some of those identified have previous convictions or pending cases for serious offences, although this point has not been independently verified in detail.

The Greek government has said it is willing to engage in dialogue with representatives of the primary sector, but not, as officials emphasise, “under these conditions” of violent confrontation and disruption of air traffic. In response to the unrest, extra units of riot police from Athens were being sent to Crete to reinforce local forces.

Protest organisers argue that the mobilisations reflect deep economic frustration in the rural sector. They say many farmers and breeders are in a very difficult situation after expected payments of EU‑linked subsidies were not made at the end of November. Among their main demands are the immediate payment of financial support using the so‑called “Technical Solution” method, measures to tackle the high cost of animal feed, and a new Joint Ministerial Decision (KYA) on agricultural support that is the result of negotiation with producers themselves. Without these changes, they warn, many small farms risk disappearing.

In Chania, dozens of demonstrators spent the night inside the passenger terminal, holding meetings and planning their strategy. Unlike Heraklion, Chania airport remained open, with the main gate accessible and flights operating according to schedule. Protest leaders there have requested a formal meeting with representatives of the primary sector, local government and Members of Parliament from the ruling New Democracy party, hoping this will create a direct communication channel with the central government.

Within the farmers’ movement itself, there is now an active internal debate about the impact of the previous day’s violence. Some participants question whether images of stone‑throwing, injured officers and damaged vehicles help or harm their cause in the eyes of wider Greek society. The president of the Livestock Breeders’ Association of Chania, Giannis Verykakis, publicly apologised for the injuries to policemen, while at the same time stressing that the protests express the anger and desperation of Cretan breeders over their financial situation.

Looking ahead, coordinating committees in Crete are considering short, repeated blockades of the Heraklion airport or even a multi‑day closure if no progress is made. Other planned actions include maintaining the roadblock at Megala Chorafia on the northern highway of Crete (VOAK), where traffic is currently interrupted symbolically for around half an hour every afternoon, and possible protests at the port of Souda. Across Greece, similar tactics are being discussed, ranging from motorway blockades to the possible disruption of ports and key junctions, as farmers wait to see whether the government will offer concrete concessions.

Info: ‘Greek Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Greek’, a Greek language school offering various types of online courses for learners at different levels. We provide structured lessons and resources to help learners develop their Greek language skills in a flexible online environment.