Confronting the vociferous farm lobby is a critical test for every Greek prime minister. A year ago thousands of farmers blockaded main roads across the country, intimidating Costas Karaman-lis's conservative government into coughing up a €soom ($705111) package of support. A year later they are up to the same trick, asking George Papandreou's socialist government to find €1 billion for further crop subsidies, along with cheaper fuel and a three-year freeze on debt repayments. By January 20th more than 2,000 agricultural vehicles were blocking roads around Greece.
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