Thousands of farmers blocked border crossings and several major highways for the eighth consecutive day on Monday, causing traffic chaos across the country.

Tractors are again blocking the Evzoni and Doirani crossings at the Greek-Macedonian border, as well as the borders with Bulgaria and Turkey. Freight traffic across Greece's borders is paralysed, and only emergency medical supplies can pass.

Farmers also effectively cut the country into three Monday as they blocked roads south-west of Athens in a six-day dispute with the government over the low prices for cotton, corn and wheat.

Hundreds of farmers used their tractors to block the Isthmus of Corinth, one of the two road access points to the southern Peloponnese peninsula.

Bogorodica and Dojran checkpoint on the FYROM-Greek border have been closed since 10:00 a.m. local time, the information center of the Auto Moto Union of Macedonia. Medjitlija checkpoint near the town of Bitola is open.

All three border checkpoints between Bulgaria and Greece have suspended operations because of road blockades by Greek farmers on the Greek side, Bulgarian border police said on January 26 2009.

Talks between Bulgarian and Greek authorities are continuing, so that at least part of the traffic to will be allowed to move, as it was on January 25.

Of the three checkpoints, Koulata-Promahon is the worst, border police said. More than 300 lorries are waiting in line at border checkpoints on Bulgarian territory, with transport companies already talking about millions of leva in losses because of the crisis. Some have reported 10 million leva in losses a day.

Travellers are advised to use FYRMacedonia or Turkey if going to Greece, although there are reports that Greek farmers could try to block Greece's border checkpoints with these two countries as well.

Currently, the best place to cross into Greece is the Kapitan Petko-Ormenion border checkpoint, near the town of Svilengrad, where traffic is usually light; reports say that there were just 30 lorries waiting to be let through on the morning of January 26.

Situation is calm at Ilinden and Capitan Petko Voivoda border checkpoints, spokeswoman of the Border Police Lora Lyubenova informed.

Agreement was achieved after a conversation with the director of Kulata border checkpoint Y. Nedyalkov and director of Promahon border checkpoint G. Papadopolos about transit of 150 TIR trucks from Bulgaria through Greece.

The agreement came after today’s tensed situation at the border checkpoint where the line of awaiting trucks continuously lengthened reaching up to 10km.

Amounts of money to be provided for farmers in support of their income over the 2008-2009 period, out of the package of 500 million euros, were finalised on Monday and the farmers' representatives were duly informed by the Agricultural Development and Foods ministry.

Cotton: Farmers having extensive losses will receive 45 euros per stremma and 25 euros per stremma for limited losses.

Maize: 25 euros per stremma for extensive losses and 20 euros per stremma for limited losses.

Grain: For soft grain 12 and 8 euros per stremma will be given respectively and for hard grain 10 and 7 euros per stremma.

Olive oil: Losses regarding olive oil will be assessed and up to 30 cents per kilo will be provided.

Agricultural Development Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis said that with the finalisation of the amounts, "all of the farmers' demands have been met and the continuation of mobilisation is unjustified."