Farmers’ protests and roadblocks continued on Saturday along major and secondary roadways in Greece’s provinces, with thousands of farm tractors lining several highways. Farmers’ unions and associations have pressed the government satisfy a number of demands, mainly involving compensation and lower production costs.

Farmers throughout the country took to the roads with their tractors on Wednesday and made preparations to escalate protest action in the coming days. Among others, farmers are demanding that the government roll back new measures increasing their taxes and social insurance contributions. 

Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras met earlier on Thursday with a delegation of farmers but the two parties did not come to an agreement. The meeting ended in a deadlock.