Greek taxi drivers protesting against the liberalisation of their profession – an IMF-dictated reform enacted in exchange for the debt-stricken country receiving emergency aid – caused chaos on Monday as they blocked access to ports, archaeological sites and Athens international airport.
>>>clicca per la traduzione)
On the first day of a 48-hour strike, described as "the beginning of a battle", cabbies took over roads, toll-booths and entries to the ports of Piraeus and Patras in a mass display of defiance against government plans to deregulate their trade.Thousands of holidaymakers visiting Greece were caught up in the mayhem. Many missed connecting flights after some 2,000 taxi drivers took over the road leading to the capital’s airport. Protesters also blocked gates to cruise ship docks preventing some 15,000 visitors from boarding coaches to see prime sites. In northern Greece, holidaymakers were also held up as drivers blocked main roads.
"It’s been very trying in the baking heat," said Mimi Skillett, a British tourist, after missing a plane connection from Athens to Skiathos.
Drivers, who vowed to take to the streets on Tuesday, have been spurred into action by a government decision to open up their business by making it easier, and cheaper, to buy taxi licences. The socialist administration implemented the reform as part of efforts to liberalise over 150 "closed shop" professions blamed for stunting competition and Greece’s economic growth. With the country mired in recession, the 23,000-strong sector says its earnings have dropped precipitously.
"If you had got a €200,000 [£175,000] loan to buy a car and a taxi licence according of the laws of this country … and suddenly you are told that tomorrow you will have nothing, you tell me what you would do?" Konstantinos Dimos, general secretary of the Athens taxi drivers’ association told state-run television.
Under the new rules, drivers will be able to obtain licences for €3,000 compared with the €80,000 demanded previously. With some 15,000 cab owners in Athens alone, unions say there is no need for more drivers.
Prime Minister George Papandreou’s government moved ahead with the controversial legislation – lawyers, architects, pharmacists and public notaries will also see their fields opening up – after Athens came under renewed pressure to expedite reforms in return for a second rescue package of loans. The new bailout is expected to be as much, if not exceed, the €110bn financial aid package Greece received last May.
Similar action by truckers last year resulted in the government allowing for a respite before the new legislation took effect. Despite appeals from Greece’s culture minister Pavlos Geroulanos, who described the strike as a "huge wound for tourism" – the nation’s biggest foreign currency earner – the drivers vowed to continue their action in future.
"This is another blow to the image of our country [after the riots sparked by fresh austerity measures in Athens last month]," said the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises. "Blocking access to ports and airports creates problems for tourism, one of the main pillars of development and hope that will enable our country to get out of this crisis."
fonte: guardian.co.uk 18/07/2011 per la traduzione (un po’ penosa) cliccate qui
che traduzione….!!!
Si in effetti….
Se tu avessi avuto un € 200.000 [175.000 £] prestito per comprare una macchina e una licenza di taxi, a seconda delle leggi di questo paese … e improvvisamente vi viene detto che domani non avrete niente, mi dici cosa faresti?” Konstantinos Dimos, general secretary of the Athens taxi drivers’ association told state-run television. Konstantinos Dimos, segretario generale dell’associazione dei tassisti Atene ‘ha detto televisione di stato.
…..fanno quello che farei io…ho sborsato x mila euro e non me li farò bruciare dai signori pigliatutto,inutile fare i nomi,già si sanno….tutti in strada,cosi la risaniamo noi la loro economia….voglio vedere come finirà se continuano a minacciare di rendere carta straccia ciò che noi ci siamo comprati con sudore e fatica….
Anche quella che una volta era la mitica stampa anglosassone è ormai alle cozze. Vi pare che fosse il caso di riportare le parole della turista inglese, “provata dal terribile caldo”, per aver visto saltare i suoi piani a causa dello sciopero? E solo dopo questa perla il lettore ha diritto a sapere qualcosa in più sulle ragioni della protesta. Insomma la stampa è ormai una parte del problema, invece di essere d’aiuto nella ricerca di soluzioni. Su ogni argomento. Peccato però che siano proprio questi ‘signori’, instradati dai rispettivi editori, a dettare la linea ai governi. Drammatico, ma inserobile.
Sulla faccenda greca c’è poi molto da riflettere. E poco da star tranquilli. I colleghi greci sono finiti nel tritacarne perché i soliti gruppi di pressione, a livello internazionale e locale, continuano a raccontare la storiella che il risanamento economico passa attraverso liberalizzazioni e contenimento della spesa pubblica. Ma non è forse lo stesso che si sente sempre ripetere a proposito dell’Italia? I mercati iniziano a guardarci sornioni come gatto silvestro e la stampa internazionale, uno per tutti l’economist, non manca mai di tirarcela candidandoci a una pessima fine. E vi pare che il nostro destino possa essere di molto diverso da quello dei greci? Vorrei tanto che fosse così, ma non ci credo.
perfettamente d’accordo,dobbiamo cercare idee per poter controbattere questi signori arroganti e presuntuosi.