Impasse and clashes between taxi owners and riot police

The debate between Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Giannis Ragousis, and taxi drivers seems to be hitting a wall after the unsuccessful meeting on Wednesday noon.

After the meeting, which lasted one and a half hours, the SATA president Thimios Limperopoulos, informing his colleagues gathered outside the ministry, said he identified no signs of understanding and announced the continuation and escalation of protests, the form of which will be announced at the last minute, making them unexpected and sudden.

Mr. Limperopoulos said that the seven-member delegation tabled a proposal for a six-month extension ensuring a dialogue and a commitment to the population ratio in the context of licenses as provided by Reppas’ Presidential decree. Furthermore, he proposed to pay for the permits, and there is also a commitment to avoid cartelization.

According to Mr. Limperopoulos, the minister virtually rejected the proposal, noting that the Papakonstantinou law deregulates everything.

The SATA chairman felt that none of the laws for taxis shall pass and that in the end, the members of the industry will emerge victorious; he added that the struggle will continue. He also stated that the PASOK Parliamentary Group, the majority of parliament members, the unions and society as a whole are on their side.

The delegation of the owners left the ministry heading to their Federation offices in Marni street, in order to determine their attitudes, but also the schedule of action to be undertaken.

During the statements by Mr. Limperopoulos, extremely insulting slogans were shouted against the minister and the government, while several “hot-blooded” individuals attempted to storm the ministry building, throwing coffees, bottles and other objects at police, who were forced to use chemicals.

Demonstrations across the country

Meanwhile, protests by professional motorists continue; they lifted the bars at the Rio and Isthmus toll stations, allowing cars to pass freely.

Also, taxi drivers blocked anew the “Nikos Kazantzakis” airport in Heraklion, Crete, forcing passengers to walk carrying their luggage for at least 200 meters.

Also, incidents occurred when taxi drivers attacked a bus driver who tried to “break” through the blockade.

During the Alexandroupoli protest march, a symbolic occupation of the building which houses the Regional Evros Unit was carried out by taxi drivers

In addition, at dawn on Wednesday taxi drivers at Argos and Nafplio raised the bars at the toll station of Spathovouni, while more than 350 taxis from Tripoli, Sparta, Kalamata and Kiparissia have lined around the Nestani toll station, allowing the cars to pass without paying.

There was a motorized protest by the owners of Chania taxis, who are protesting about the deregulation of their profession. Motorists headed to the center of the city where they halted their cars for ten minutes, causing traffic congestion.

The taxi owners' delegation then had a meeting with the Chania mayor, Manolis Skylakis, for a few minutes during which they expressed their opposition to how their profession is being deregulated.

Subsequently, taxi drivers headed to Chania airport.