GREECE: Taxi drivers in Athens vow to continue their strike as government says law won't change despite the protests

Record ID: 339497

  • Title: GREECE: Taxi drivers in Athens vow to continue their strike as government says law won't change despite the protests
  • Date: 20th July 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF TAXI DRIVERS FACING PARLIAMENT HOLDING BANNERS AND WAVING GREEK FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 4th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6O5T7P3XXAFHFTD898Q6BUV30
  • Story Text: Thousands of taxi drivers on strike caused a second day of traffic mayhem in Athens on Tuesday (July 19) as they surrounded the parliament.
    "Taxi drivers are here united and strong" shouted the taxi drivers vowing to continue their strike for at least another 24 hours after the government said the law will continue without changes despite the protests.
    Blowing whistles and waving their fists in the air they drove a taxi cab onto the pavement in front of the parliament building.
    It is the second day of a nationwide strike by taxi drivers, opposed to the law which will allow more taxi licenses to be issued. Protests were being held in other parts of the country as well.
    On Monday drivers caused problems at ports and airports, as drivers used their vehicles to block roads leading to both, delaying and stranding tourists trying to reach or leave both in the middle of the tourist season.
    Their strike also caused delays of flights at Athens International Airport as tourists were late reaching the airport for their flights due to the traffic jams caused by taxis blocking the highway outside the airport. Tourists getting off cruise ships and wanting to visit sites for the day also suffered.
    July is a peak tourist month for Greece and their strike drew criticism from tourism industry officials and the Greek government. Greece is in the midst of a debt crisis, and is badly in need of tourism revenues. They did not block the Athens airports or ports on Tuesday.
    The government's reforms foresee the liberalization of several professions to increase competitiveness in the country and wipe out monopolies and corruption that hinder growth.
    The taxi deregulation law came into effect on July 2 and will make it easier to acquire a license. Until now the government had stopped issuing taxi licenses, therefore making them highly sought after and hard to come by, so taxi owners have paid high prices for the licenses.
    Professions under the liberalization law have opposed it over fears of more competition, but others have said it will do away with monopolies and corruption that exists in the trades.
    The liberalization of trades is part of the government's agreed reforms under the first bailout package Greece received from the European Union and International Monetary Fund last year. Greece must move faster in implementing reforms as its international lenders continue to struggle to work out a second loan package for the country.
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