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Angry farmers block highway in Greece over tax hike

Tuesday, 02 February 2016 6:15 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 02 February 2016 6:14 PM ]

A Greek farmer gestures before a Greek flag stretched across a tractor blocking a main highway on February 2, 2016, protesting against government fiscal plans. (AFP Photo)

Greek farmers have staged a blockade on a main highway leading to the capital, Athens, in protest against proposed tax hikes by the government.

Dozens of tractors closed the highway linking Thessaloniki to Athens at the Malgara junction on Monday. Traffic came to a standstill for six hours with farmers threatening to extend the protest for 24 hours if necessary.

It was the latest in a series of protests against austerity measures Athens has taken in recent years to receive bailout funds.

The new wave of public protests started in January, after the Greek parliament voted in favor of a new round of economic reforms, affecting taxes, pension plans, and a series of cutbacks in the public sector.

The new measures dictated by international lenders will affect wages in the public sector and lead to an overhaul in the country's banking system.

Once the Greek government has implemented the proposed measures, it will receive 1 billion euros (1.1 billion USD) from its international lenders.

Greece has already received two bailouts in 2010 and 2012, worth a total of 240 billion euros (272 billion USD) from its creditors following the economic crisis in the European country back in 2009.

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