The movement has generated much interest both in Greece and abroad as an example of the development of a new volunteer-led ‘social economy’ in the midst of the crisis. Described in an article by the New York Times as a ‘surprisingly successful effort to redefine the terms of commerce,’ the movement at its heart is quite simple. A network of volunteer organizers brings producers directly in contact with consumers. By cutting out the wholesalers and other intermediaries who in Greece often take significant profits, consumers get cheaper goods while producers get better prices.
But now a new bill due to be voted on in parliament today threatens to effectively prohibit the movement by effectively banning the ‘no middlemen’ markets. The provision is included in a bill drafted by the Ministry of Development and Competition which seeks to reform the ‘laikes’ or traditional ‘peoples’ markets – the regulated weekly street markets for fresh produce. Specifically the article in question prohibits open-air trading in municipalities with more than 3,000 residents by travelling salesmen. Organisers of the no-middlemen movement say this is a direct targeting of their movement and will amount to an effective ban on it.
According to a polemic article by Ilias Tsolakidis (link in Greek), a key organiser of the movement, the provision amounts to a ‘cold-blooded execution’ of the initiative. “The no-middlemen movement provided relief to thousands of poor citizens in the entire country and highlighted at an international level the huge problem of profiteering by intermediaries in the country. The government instead of combating the profiteering and restricting the profits of those abusing the markets, opted to weaken the people’s markets and movements in order to serve the interests of the multinationals,’ he wrιtes.
While other controversial reforms in the bill have been highlighted in the Greek press, the provision regarding the no-middlemen movement has been little commented upon.
Yet that the no-intermediary initiative has not always been met with kindness on the part of the authorities was highlighted in a different way only yesterday when police prevented a planned market from taking place in Thessaloniki, even though the market had sought and been given the approval of the local authorities.
Police claimed that there had been three complaints made against the market although refused to explain what these were according to reporting by Eleftherotypia (link in Greek). Teams of motorcycle police surrounded the market and effectively shut it down, even arresting three participants when they protested the draconian action. They were later released them without charge.
The group behind the Thessaloniki market ‘Solidarity for All’ condemned the police action as baseless and authoritarian.