GREECE: Striking taxi drivers surround Greek parliament in protest against government plan to open their sector to competition

Record ID: 339331

  • Title: GREECE: Striking taxi drivers surround Greek parliament in protest against government plan to open their sector to competition
  • Date: 27th July 2011
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 26 2011) (REUTERS) TAXI DRIVERS HOLDING GREEK FLAGS GATHERED OUTSIDE THEIR HEADQUARTERS IN CENTRAL ATHENS PROTESTING AGAINST THE LIBERALIZATION OF THEIR PROFESSION GREEK FLAG WAVING TAXI DRIVERS FROM CRETE HOLDING BLACK PLACARD IN THE SHAPE OF CRETE ISLAND WITH THE SUN SIGN OF RULING PARTY PASOK UPSIDE DOWN READING "Crete is here! End!", IMPLYING TH
  • Embargoed: 11th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Business,Industry,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7YJI7R4NWDYEVZODK6JE0Y5U7
  • Story Text: Thousands of taxi drivers on strike marched to the Greek parliament on Tuesday (July 26) shouting for the government to rescind the law that will liberalize their trade.
    The taxi drivers, who came from across the country, surrounded the parliament as Transport Minister Yannis Ragousis briefed the transport committee of PASOK over the taxi deregulation law.
    "Hands off our taxis" and "taxi drivers are here, united and strong" shouted the taxi drivers as they blew whistles and raised their fists angrily in the air saying that there is no other option for them but to continue their fight.
    "We have to continue our fight. I believe that we will be justified and if at the end the parliament members and Mr. Ragousis cannot make a decision then Mr. Papandreou must make a political decision. This gentleman (meaning transport minister Ragousis) who is our political supervisor must be removed because he has created a thousand problems to the society," said 57 year old taxi driver Panagiotis Betis.
    Taxi drivers walked out of their jobs on July 18 against government plans to open up their sector to competition. After an unsuccessful meeting with the transport minister last week taxi union officials said talks had reached a deadlock and their strike would continue indefinitely.
    Over the last days they have blocked ports and airports, kept toll booths open, and caused traffic jams with blockades.
    Their actions drew criticism from tourism industry officials and the Greek government, who said these protests at the peak of the tourist season are marring the country's image and hurting the tourism sector which accounts for roughly a fifth of GDP.
    The EU and the IMF have requested a liberalizing of about 135 protected professions to improve lagging competitiveness and boost the economy, as part of a 110 billion euro bailout deal to save Greece from bankruptcy.
    Unions oppose plans to issue licenses for a small fee, which would end the practice of selling them for tens of thousands of euros, saying that the reform will further hurt a sector already hit by austerity. The taxi trade has been riddled with corruption and monopolies over the licenses.
    The government seeks to end this corruption through the law and make a more fair system of issuing licenses.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register