SHOTLIST:

EVROS, GREECE (JAN. 8, 2026) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF FARMERS BLOCKING ROAD WITH THEIR TRACTORS

2. VARIOUS OF TRUCKS LINED UP AND WAITING DUE TO ROAD BLOCKAGE EVROS, GREECE - JAN. 8, 2026: Farmers across Greece launched a 48-hour road blockade on Thursday, Jan. 8, after labeling government support for the agricultural industry insufficient.

The action follows weeks of ongoing protests by members of the farming sector.

Protesters used tractors to shut down national roads, highway toll booths, and tunnels in several parts of the country.

Much of this activity focused on the Athens-Thessaloniki highway, where critical intersections were obstructed.

As part of the two-day protest, truck traffic was also stopped at various customs gates.

Police redirected vehicles to alternative routes to manage the congestion caused by the roadblocks.

These disruptions resulted in significant vehicle congestion, particularly in Central Greece, Thessaly, and the Peloponnese.

Local authorities advised the public to avoid traveling unless it is absolutely necessary.

Farmers staged protests across several European countries, blocking major roads, ports and border crossings with tractors, as the EU prepares to vote on a free trade agreement with the South American Mercosur bloc.

In Belgium, farmers set up filter blockades at key traffic points in Wommelgem, the port of Zeebrugge and the city of Ghent, according to Flemish-language broadcaster VRT.

Tractor protests disrupted traffic in Zeebrugge, Wommelgem and Ghent, where blockades involving up to 150 vehicles caused delays exceeding 30 minutes. Farmers also lit fires at protest sites in Zeebrugge and Ghent. The actions were announced in advance and are expected to continue until the evening.

In French-speaking Belgium, the Walloon Federation of Young Farmers (FJA) said it would block several strategic junctions with tractors.

In France, farmers drove dozens of tractors into Paris early Thursday, gathering near iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, broadcaster BFMTV reported.

The protests aim to draw attention to what farmers describe as mounting pressure on the agricultural sector, particularly from trade agreements they say expose them to unfair competition.

They are also demanding fewer administrative requirements and a relaxation of EU rules, which they say weaken their competitiveness.