Tsiaras calls on farmers to rethink their stance and raise their problems

The Minister of Rural Development and Food, Kostas Tsiaras, called on farmers on Sunday to rethink their stance and sit down at the table for dialogue.

Tsiaras was speaking at the parliament plenary during the 2026 budget debate.

He emphasized that "they should not miss the unique opportunity given to them to raise their problems at the highest political level."

"We are faced with the new programming period, the new CAP, the impacts of the EU’s international agreements with new countries, with third countries, internal convergence, Ukraine’s accession to the EU. That is why dialogue with farmers is essential. Because solutions are given when both sides sit down at the table," Tsiaras stressed.

"In democracies, problems are solved through dialogue, not through confrontations on the highways. I call on farmers to rethink their stance and to take advantage of the unique opportunity given to them to raise their problems at the highest political level. However, the dialogue cannot only concern the current management. It must concern the restart of agricultural production. A restart that will make the primary sector attractive, modern and competitive."