Farmers’ Protests Cause Chaos on Crete’s Main Highway

The news in Greek

1. αγρότης  (m.)
   κάποιος που καλλιεργεί τη γη για να παράγει τρόφιμα ↩︎
2. κτηνοτρόφος  (m.)
   άτομο που εκτρέφει ζώα για παραγωγικούς σκοπούς ↩︎
3. διαμαρτύρομαι
   εκφράζω αντίθεση ή δυσαρέσκεια ↩︎
4. καθυστερημένος
   όταν κάτι δεν έχει γίνει την αναμενόμενη ή κανονική στιγμή ↩︎
5. ευπαθής
   κάτι που χαλά εύκολα ή είναι επιρρεπές σε ζημιά ↩︎
6. κυβέρνηση  (f.)
   ομάδα ανθρώπων που κυβερνά μια χώρα ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

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

Question 2: Which vehicles are allowed to pass through the blocked roads?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
αγρότης  (m.)	farmer
κτηνοτρόφος  (m.)	livestock farmer
διαμαρτύρομαι	protest
καθυστερημένος	delayed
ευπαθής	perishable
κυβέρνηση  (f.)	government

Read the full story

Protests by farmers and livestock breeders have brought significant traffic disruption to parts of Crete, especially on the Northern Road Axis of Crete (BOAK). The demonstrations, which began on the afternoon of Wednesday, 29 October 2025, are part of a larger movement against delayed payments and a major scandal involving the Greek Payment and Control Agency for Guidance and Guarantee Community Aid (OPEKEPE).

In the area near the former KTEO, farmers have blocked the highway, leading to unprecedented traffic jams stretching for kilometres. The blockage has also affected the old national road, particularly around the area of Kakó Oréos, causing vehicles to move at a snail’s pace. According to local reports, the industrial area of Heraklion has seen the most severe disruptions, prompting traffic authorities to implement emergency measures to manage the flow of vehicles both entering and exiting the industrial zone.

The regional section of BOAK remains largely impassable, with drivers facing delays of up to an hour for journeys that normally take around 15 minutes. This congestion is exacerbating a chain reaction throughout the road network around Heraklion, as cars attempt to navigate alternative routes.

The farmers’ blockade allows only trucks carrying perishable goods and ambulances to pass, and only after 6 PM. However, protesters remain steadfast, refusing to leave until their demands are met. Many drivers have described the scenes as a “nightmare on the tarmac,” with traffic clearing only very slowly.

In the Chania region, livestock breeders have set up roadblocks near Tsikalaria, blocking both lanes of the national road as a direct protest against their financial grievances. They have vowed to maintain the blockade indefinitely until they receive their due payments.

The President of the Chania Livestock Breeders Association, Yannis Verykakis, has indicated a willingness to open the road for an hour each morning to allow trucks carrying flammable materials to pass. This proposal, however, was not accepted by the assembly. “We will not leave unless we receive answers and immediate payment,” Mr. Verykakis stated, expressing frustration over the country’s bureaucratic delays. He called for a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister to address their issues.

Another member of the association’s board, George Venetakis, criticized officials for feigning ignorance about the issues at OPEKEPE. He emphasized the need to distinguish genuine producers from those involved in the scandal, stressing that true farmers are not fraudsters but hard-working individuals seeking to restore their dignity.

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