Greece's tourism body asks authorities to end taxi strike

[News_Editor]

Greece's tourism body asks authorities to end taxi strike

2011-07-22 04:09:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

ATHENS (BNO NEWS) -- The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) on Thursday called on Supreme Court prosecutor Yiannis Tentes to end the taxi strike as it enters a fourth day.

The Khatimerini newspaper reported that SETE called on Tente to dispatch local prosecutors and police to break up the protests that have been blocking ports, airports and roads, which have inconvenienced thousands of tourists. It said that "these activities have dealt a severe blow to tourism, the only sector of the economy fueling hopes for an exit from the crisis."

The association added that although taxi drivers have been violating the highway code by blocking road junctions, there have been no reports of arrests by authorities. Therefore, it said that local prosecutors and police should be charged with violation of duty.

On Thursday, taxi drivers blocked several major road junctions across the country and the airports on the southern Aegean island of Crete and the Ionian island of Corfu, inconveniencing hundreds of holidaymakers.

Meanwhile, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels wrote on Wednesday to Transport Minister Yiannis Ragousis, asking him to convene a committee meeting with all related parties aimed at mitigating the impact of the taxi drivers' action on the tourism sector. The committee is to convene on Tuesday.

Greek riot police on Wednesday fired tear gas at taxi drivers outside the transport ministry headquarters in northern Athens. Clashes erupted after riot police fired volleys of tear gas to disperse protesters, who were pelting police with bottles.

The violence came after a meeting between Transport Minister Yiannis Ragousis and taxi unionists failed to end the three-old day strike.

The taxi drivers, who are protesting against the recent liberalization of their sector, have warned that they will continue with rolling 48-hour strikes unless the Socialist administration revokes its decision to lift all restrictions on the number of taxi licenses issued.

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