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Truck drivers strikes bites goods and services

Truckers act against plans to deregulate the trucking industry in Greece

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The truck drivers blockade at Skaramanga.

The truck drivers blockade at Skaramanga.

Greek truck drivers say they won't back down from protests that have threatened to disrupt fuel supplies and other goods after negotiations with the government broke down.
21 Sep 2010

A week long strike of truck drivers in Greece has started to impact on the availability of goods as the truck drivers have set up blockades around Athens.

The truck drivers have established blockades on the National highway in Metamorphosi, at the tollway in Elefsina and Loutraki, in Skaramanga, Petrola, Vouliagmeni and Markopoulou.

Greek truck drivers say they won't back down from protests that have threatened to disrupt fuel supplies and other goods after negotiations with the government broke down.

The president of the Greek Confederation of Commerce and Industry Vassilis Korkidis said that the continuation of the strike would have dire consequences for Greek business at a time when it cannot afford to wear the consequences of such an action.

The drivers are protesting against plans to deregulate their industry and the austerity measures implemented by the Papandreou government.

The PASOK government wants to open the freight market to full competition within three years to cut transport costs which traders say inordinately push up the price of many goods.

No new freight licences have been issued in Greece for years, meaning that would-be operators can only purchase existing permits at high cost.

The truck drivers complain that inviting competition into the freight sector by reducing new licence charges is unfair to existing operators who have al ready paid high start-up fees running up to 300,000 euros.

A Parliamentary committee this week agreed for draft legislation for the deregulation of the trucking industry to proceed, and for it to be considered by the Greek Parliament next week.

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