Protesting farmers have secured all possible concessions from the government, requiring them now to end highway blockades that have paralyzed parts of the country for weeks, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said.
Speaking at a public forum hours after a high-stakes meeting with protest leaders, Mr. Mitsotakis was blunt about the utility of continued disruption.
“They have nothing more to gain by staying at the roadblocks,” Mr. Mitsotakis said. “I think they realize that themselves.”
The comments followed a session at the Maximos Mansion earlier in the day with roughly 30 representatives from the movement’s hardline faction.
The prime minister described the talks as “long, interesting, frank, but relatively unorganized,” a jab at the sheer volume of attendees crowding the negotiation table.
Monday’s meeting was the second in a week aimed at defusing the crisis over rising production costs and energy prices.
While the government has offered tax relief on diesel and discounted electricity, Mr. Mitsotakis signaled that fiscal realities prevent further financial aid.
The ball is now in the farmers’ court as they return to their local assemblies to decide whether to escalate or retreat.