GREECE: Taxi drivers block Crete's ports and airports

Record ID: 339477

  • Title: GREECE: Taxi drivers block Crete's ports and airports
  • Date: 22nd July 2011
  • Summary: CRETE, GREECE (JULY 21, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WALKING OUT OF PORT FROM THEIR CRUISE SHIP DOCKED BEHIND THEM MORE OF TOURISTS WALKING ON FOOT FROM PORT MORE OF TOURISTS WITH HATS AND UMBRELLAS LEAVING DOCK FROM CRUISE SHIP SIGN HANGING AT PASSENGER TERMINAL OF PORT READING "DEMONSTRATION, STRIKE AGAINST GREEK GOVERNMENT" IN ENGLISH TAXI CABS PARKEDIN STRE
  • Embargoed: 6th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Business,Economic News,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA95HOB3YBSQA2HNKM1S4XGH32I
  • Story Text: A blockade by striking taxi drivers causes hardship for tourists at the port and airport on the holiday island of Crete.
    Greek taxi drivers blocked ports and airports on the popular tourist islands of Crete and Corfu on Thursday (July 21), in a strike to protest against government plans to open up their trade to competition.
    On Crete, taxi drivers prevented buses from picking up and dropping off tourists from cruise ships berthed in the port of Iraklion.
    They also blocked vehicle access to and from Iraklion airport. The actions are part of an indefinite strike by taxi drivers that are hurting the tourism sector.
    Drivers used their taxi cabs to block the road leading to Iraklion port, where two cruise ships were moored.
    The action affected around 2,500 tourists on the ships.
    They were forced to walk in soaring temperatures to a holding point around 3 kilometres from the port, where buses were waiting to take them on tours.
    The tourists who were not booked on tourist buses were left without taxis to take them sightseeing for the day.
    "Due to the protest action by the taxi owners the organized tours with buses are not taking place (in the normal way). Of course we would have liked for these tours to take place, which is part of the complete service provided to tourists, and that way tourism would not suffer, which provides the bloodline for the local and national economy," said President of the Iraklion Port Authority George Tsiknakis.
    At Iraklion airport, tourists sat in traffic jams and were then forced to walk to and from the airport as drivers blocked the roads there. It was the second day that buses and cars could not get through.
    "It's actually terrible that you are punishing the visitors who love Greece, when it's your Greek government that you are angry with," said one British tourist walking towards the airport on foot.
    "It's a very hot day to be pulling our suitcases all the way up the road," said another British tourist trapped in a traffic jam on the road towards the airport," said another British tourist, who was trapped in a traffic jam on the road towards the airport.
    Thursday's disruption was part of several actions by taxi drivers since they went on strike on Monday (July 18) against government plans to open up their sector to competition.
    After meeting the transport minister on Wednesday (July 20), taxi union officials said talks had reached a deadlock and their strike would continue indefinitely.
    The EU and the IMF have requested a liberalising 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.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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