The government is facing an intensifying current of social opposition
About three months before the European elections and the social discontent towards his government Kyriakou Mitsotakis flares up, as in recent weeks more and more more social groups protest.
Farmers for weeks have taken to the streets and blockades, as they say the government, even after the prime minister met with their representatives, has not taken any substantive steps to address the huge cost of production.
It is typical that the farmers’ rally in Athens (20/2) was very massive, as thousands of farmers from Greece descended on the Syntagma, showing once again that the implementation of their demands is a matter of survival.
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The requests they ask to be satisfied are:
• Institutionalization of agricultural oil at the pump, since as they pointed out the refund of the excise duty (EFFK) that has been announced is not enough, because the price of the liter has increased significantly, dragging down production costs.
• The price per kilowatt-hour of electricity should drop to 7 cents, as the measures announced by Prime Minister Mr. Mitsotakis at the meeting with the members of the Pan-Hellenic Committee of Blocks are not enough.
• To give a subsidy for the purchase of agricultural supplies, fertilizers and animal feed, “so that we can stay in our fields”.
• To put an end to the illegal Greekisation of agri-food products and to stop the imports of questionable quality products from third countries.
• Make changes to the CAP, pointing out that until today “we have no answer and no substantial solution”. They also said they wanted the “greening” back. In fact, the Thessalian farmers are determined to continue their struggle either with blockades or with other forms of protest. At the same time, intense agitations are taking place nationwide in order to decide the next steps in a coordinated manner. In fact, according to information, in the first ten days of March there will be a meeting of the prime minister with representatives of the farmers from Thessaly.
They hope for de-escalation
The government has made it clear that no new measures will be taken. The statement of Mitsotakis was also typical, who in an interview with the Star television station noted that “we have nothing more to give. We have exceeded the limits of our capabilities”, adding that in the next period things will return to order and “farmers will return to their fields”.
Maximou believes that the agricultural movement will deflate. In this direction, “blue” trade unionists continue their agitations, so as to break the unity of the agricultural blocs.
The beekeepers
Another social group that has risen up are the beekeepers, who last Thursday demonstrated at the Constitution. As pointed out by Giorgos Sentementes, president of the Association of Professional Beekeepers of Arcadia, Messinia and Laconia, “the main demands are Greekization, that is, the separation of imported from Greek honey and the awarding of the Greek mark. Another issue that concerns us is the fire ordinance, which prohibits our entry into the forests. We want to amend the relevant provision. Another issue that is of particular concern to us is our free movement on the side roads – and that the beekeepers can move freely, because beekeeping is practiced in the forests and the plains”.
The students insist
Thousands of students across Greece are also on the streets to demonstrate against the government’s policies. Specifically, last Thursday thousands of young people marched in the center of Athens with a request to repeal the bill that brings about the privatization of education. As they say, the bill for the establishment of non-state universities creates a barrier for children of common background, as those without money will not be able to access the highest good of knowledge.
Reactions to the NHS
Another area in which there are huge problems is the public health system, which has been understaffed anyway in recent years. In fact, many reactions have been caused by the actions of Adonis Georgiadis regarding the afternoon surgeries.
Indicatively, the president of the hospital doctors of Athens – Piraeus (EINAP) Matina Pagoni argued that the afternoon surgeries cannot operate. Releasing the Minister of Health, he stated that there are not enough available personnel to implement the specific measure.
As he mentioned: “With which anesthesiologists and on which operating tables will these operations be performed? We were told that those who will operate in the afternoon will not operate in the morning. With the existing staff, however, we cannot cope.”
Multiple fronts
The social fronts facing the government are multiple and create conditions of political deterioration. In short, the social opposition is looking for its political expression. In this context the Maximus, seeing fissures within the society that cloud its political sovereignty, will activate the contact plan with the society.
In the next period, Mr. Mitsotakis will tour all over Greece with the aim of mobilizing the base of the blue faction.
In the next period, the prime minister will tour all over Greece with the aim of rallying the blue faction
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