Taxi Driver Protest Disrupts Travel In Greece

Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos last month appealed to Greek taxi drivers to not hit tourism during their mobilizations, as “such protests do not help the country and do not help tourism.”

Taxi drivers began protests last month against a government decision to open their sector and lift all restrictions on the number of licenses issued.

In mid-July some 20,000 Greek taxi drivers blocked roads leading to Athens International Airport and Piraeus Port causing inconvenience to tourists and Greek travelers.

Mr. Geroulanos said taxi drivers also earn from tourism and should understand that the sector is an important resource to the country.

The Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers reminded the taxi drivers that the areas they were blocking off were their “privileged workplaces.”

Until we went to press, Greek cabbies had announced that mobilizations would continue until the government backed down on its plan to fully liberalize their sector.