An emergency teleconference was held on the afternoon of Saturday, 13 December, on the initiative of the Magnesia Hoteliers Association and with the participation of Members of Parliament from the prefecture, with the sole topic being the serious impact that road closures due to farmers mobilizations are having on tourism and the local economy.
Participating in the teleconference were the MPs for Magnesia Mr. Christos Boukoros and Mr. Christos Triantopoulos, as well as the director of the office of MP Ms. Zetta Makri, Ms. Fenia Striagka. Representing the Magnesia Hoteliers Association were the President Mr. Giorgos Zafeiris, Vice President Mr. Giorgos Botsivalis, General Secretary Mr. Grigoris Kontorizos, Deputy General Secretary Ms. Evangelia Venieri, Head of Public Relations Ms. Christina Chrysostomidou, Treasurer Ms. Dimitra Agrigianni, and Board Member Mr. Konstantinos Tokalis. Also present was Mr. Vasilis Asderakis, former board member of the Magnesia Hoteliers Association, hotelier, and President of the New Anchialos Professionals Association.
The common denominator of all statements was the need for the immediate reopening of roads, with representatives of the hotel sector stressing that the blockades are suffocating the local economy, severely harming tourism, visitor mobility, and business operations.
The MPs who took part in the meeting agreed with the position of the Hoteliers Association, emphasizing that, as a matter of principle, one productive sector cannot create serious problems for another, and underlining the need to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Within the framework of the discussion, it was also proposed to hold a broader meeting with the participation of all productive and institutional bodies of Magnesia, in order to form a unified and strong voice in addressing the problem.
However, as highlighted, developments have caused intense concern, as it became known that farmers do not intend to participate in the meeting with the government. This stance heightens fears of further escalation, with hoteliers warning that if the issue is not resolved by Monday, the domino effect of consequences for Magnesia will be devastating.
The Magnesia Hoteliers Association states that it will exhaust every available and appropriate means to find a solution to the problem of the farmers roadblocks, regardless of the demands being raised, stressing that otherwise the consequences will not be limited only to Magnesia or Thessaly, but will affect the country as a whole.
Finally, the Association expects a response from the MPs of the prefecture who did not participate in this teleconference and announces that it will soon communicate its next actions and decisions.
