Farmers' Protest at Heraklion Airport: A Battle for EU Aid amid Corruption Scandal

Flights at Heraklion Airport were disrupted due to a farmers' protest. The demonstration was against funding delays, with farmers facing a shortage of EU aid due to a corruption scandal. Affected flights have now resumed after officials quelled the protest by Tuesday morning.

Flights to and from Heraklion Airport on Crete were disrupted on Monday as protesting farmers clashed with police, briefly halting air traffic. Demonstrations affected three flights, which were canceled, while others faced delays.

The protest was part of a nationwide demonstration where thousands of farmers deployed tractors and trucks across Greek roadways, challenging delays in European Union aid. Farmers contend with a 600 million euro shortfall exacerbated by a corruption scandal involving fraudulent land ownership claims, affecting future disbursements.

By Tuesday, aviation officials confirmed that operations had resumed by 0800 GMT after the protest ended, allowing the airport to recover from Monday's disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)