Greece's Heraklion airport resumes flights after farmers end protest
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Tourists enter the departures lounge of the airport of Heraklion, on the island of Crete, Greece, September 8, 2020. REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis/File Photo
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ATHENS, Dec 9 - Flights to and from Heraklion Airport on the Greek island of Crete resumed early on Tuesday, aviation officials said, after farmers who had been blocking the terminal ended a protest.
Three flights were cancelled and several others delayed after a group of farmers threw stones at police and stormed onto the runway at Heraklion on Monday, halting some air traffic.
The airport resumed operations around 0800 GMT on Tuesday, a Greek aviation official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Farmers have deployed thousands of tractors and trucks in dozens of blockades, disrupting traffic during a nationwide demonstration triggered by funding delays.
Greek farmers face a shortfall of more than 600 million euros ($699 million) in European Union aid and other payments after a corruption scandal in which some farmers, aided by state employees, faked land ownership to qualify for payouts.
Ongoing audits have slowed subsequent disbursements. REUTERS
