Greek farmers open some roads; borders still shut

Greek farmers protesting low prices lifted many of their roadblocks on Thursday after accepting a government aid package but border crossings with Bulgaria remained blocked. The blockades, which have caused travel chaos across Greece and angered Bulgaria, have put pressure on the conservative government as it struggles to cope with the economic slump following rioting last month.
December's demonstrations reverberated across Europe, where many people feel anger at their governments' handling of the global crisis. Protests followed in Baltic states and Iceland, while in France hundreds of thousands of workers went on strike on Thursday demanding better protection of jobs and wages.
Greece's farmers want higher subsidies and tax rebates to compensate for the slump. The government has offered 500 million euros for some products such as cotton, olive oil and wheat, but not others such as oranges, fruit and rice. Farmers' unions in southern and central Greece accepted the package and began removing the tractor blockades that had closed main roads.