Greek truckers damage trade in showdown with government

Highway protests by Greek truckers opposing state efforts to liberalise their sector have badly disrupted freight transport and trade, industry sources said yesterday.

“The strike is causing inestimable damage to businesses in all sectors,” the confederation of northern Greek industries said in a statement.

The truckers, who are officially under a civil mobilisation order imposed by the government after a similar protest in July caused goods and fuel shortages, have stationed hundreds of heavy-duty vehicles at key highway junctions around the capital.

The protesters have regularly blocked highway traffic in showdowns with police in recent days and have reportedly intimidated other truck drivers on delivery runs.

Over the weekend, protest leaders said they would demonstrate in Athens today as Parliament prepares to approve a freight sector reform Bill that opens the sector to full competition for the first time in four decades.

“We will stay here until our cause is justified and we call all people to a midday protest in central Omonia Square,” tanker truck head unionist George Tsamos told reporters.

The truckers say that opening the sector by reducing new license charges is unfair to existing operators who have already paid high start-up fees running up to €300,000.

The government counters that the reform is years overdue and will have a carry-over effect on the prices of many goods which are often higher than in other parts of Europe. The Socialist administration of George Papandreou is struggling to cut costs and boost development to revive the country’s recession-hit economy.