A nationwide 24-hour strike is being held today, Monday, March 23 (from 05:00 in the morning until 05:00 on Tuesday), by taxi drivers, coinciding with the day of the vote on the Ministry of Transport’s bill.
Drivers are protesting the bill, expressing opposition “to all provisions that seek to undermine the role of taxis and their public character, as they make the profession and the livelihoods of taxi owners’ families across the country less sustainable,” according to a statement by the Panhellenic Federation of Professional Taxi Owners.
A key point of contention is Article 52 concerning the leasing of private passenger vehicles with drivers, which, according to the drivers, “liberalizes the operation of private cars, placing them on equal terms with taxis.”
Drivers have scheduled a gathering at 11:00 at their union’s offices in Athens, after which they will march -without their vehicles- to Parliament.
At the same time, drivers are also expressing reservations about the environmental provisions included in the bill, emphasizing that the transition to new technologies must be carried out in a realistic way and with appropriate state support.
Specifically, they oppose the mandatory transition to electric vehicles in Athens and Thessaloniki, arguing that “the necessary charging infrastructure does not exist,” and are calling for “a fair extension for electrification until the use of such vehicles becomes affordable.”
“On Monday, those who vote for the bill will be condemning the profession. They will be effectively acknowledging that they do not understand our just demands, and the sector will certainly turn its back on them. Their vote is their last chance, and it is our duty to be outside on the day of the vote,” the drivers emphasized in their statement.
Sources: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ, fyi.news
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