Thousands of farmers on Thursday protested in northern Greece against a controversial pension reform that is part of the country's tough economic bailout, police said, with some demonstrators carrying a coffin bearing the picture of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Around 5,000 farmers took part in the Thessaloniki protest outside an agricultural fair, with police using tear gas to repel them when they attempted to break in.
Earlier in the protest, some farmers carried a coffin with the picture of embattled Tsipras. Agriculture Minister Vangelis Apostolou, who was supposed to inaugurate the fair, cancelled his visit. The farmers have formed protest hubs at dozens of locations on Greece's national highways, intermittently blocking traffic in recent days.
Tsipras' government has announced plans to lower the maximum pension to 2,300 euros ($2,500) from 2,700 euros currently, and introduce a new minimum guaranteed basic pension of 384 euros. It also wants to merge insurance funds and increase social security contributions by both employers and staff. Lawyers, engineers and sailors also oppose the reform and Greek unions have announced a general strike - the third in as many months - on February 4.