Greek Taxi Drivers Continue Their Strike tagged: , , , , ,

Greek Taxi Drivers Continue Their Strike

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society

Greece taxi drivers are set to continue their strike after their meeting with the Minister in charge ended fruitless. “The minister did not make any commitment, the strike goes on” said the chairman of taxi owners federation, Thymios Lymberopoulos. Additionally he asked his colleagues to avoid incidents.

On Thursday, brainless  taxi owners not only hindered tourist buses to carry holidaymakers from cruise liners to Acropolis, they also threw oil on the streets turning asphalt into a gliding mirror that could put in danger human lives. 

Later they moved to the premises of private Skai television, threw stones and bottles and caused damages.

Video: Taxi owners, Piraeus/Neo Faliro

Taxi owners oppose government plans to open their closed profession without a road-map and keeping the EU standards. Some of the owners have taken loans for a licence of 150,000-200,000 euro. The opening opf the profession will drop the value of the licence down to 3,500 euro.

The public opinion is divided on the issue. Some blame the minister in charge for creating such a chaos annulling the decision of his predecessor. The taxi strike that started ten days ago have hit mostly the tourism sector. However in many tourist areas outside Athens sneaky motorists have found unofficial 0ff-strike ways to make it possible for tourists to reach airports and ports or move around.

In Athens the only positive thing about the taxi strike is the traffic-jam free city centre. But if you want to leave the city with your luggage by airplane, ferry or bus you have to ask your friends to take you there – or even pick you up in the middle of the night.