Serious traffic problems are being observed right now on central road arteries of Athens, due to the march of taxi drivers. Specifically, they are conducting a march from the Ministry of Transport to Piraeus with their vehicles, and Kifisia Avenue, as well as other central roads, have been taken out of circulation.
Drivers will need to use alternative routes to the center or wait patiently until the convoy with hundreds of taxis reaches the center of Piraeus.
It should be noted that taxi drivers have proceeded with a 48-hour strike, demanding a series of changes to institutional and economic issues. The mobilization of the Attica Taxi Drivers Union (SATA) began yesterday, Tuesday (9/9), and will last until 6 AM on Thursday. Taxi drivers are protesting against the Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) that provides for the possibility of transportation with vans, considering that it undermines the sector and creates unfair competition.
It is noted that during the 48-hour strike, only transfers to and from hospitals are being served. According to SATA, transfers to and from hospitals and medical centers will be served exclusively by the city’s radio taxis.
It is noted that during the 48-hour strike, only transfers to and from hospitals are being served. According to SATA, transfers to and from hospitals and medical centers will be served exclusively by the city’s radio taxis. View photos from the SATA march
Taxi: View photos from the SATA march
Taxi strike: Traffic regulations due to the march
Due to the march, traffic regulations are being gradually implemented on the roads through which the march is scheduled to pass:
- Leoforos Athinon (Sp. Patsi)
- Karaiskaki Square
- Karolou
- Marni
- Patision
- Alexandras Avenue
- Zacharof
- Michalakopoulos
- Mesogion Avenue.
See live traffic on the roads HERE.
Lyberopoulos on Parapolitika 90.1: ‘Ministers operate like a mafia to serve interests’
“The struggle will continue until the government withdraws the Joint Ministerial Decision on the operating regime of vans,” emphasized earlier today, Wednesday (10/9) on Parapolitika 90.1, the president of the Attica Taxi Drivers Union, Thymios Lyberopoulos, announcing a new 24-hour strike on September 22, the day of SATA’s general assembly.
At the same time, Thymios Lyberopoulos denounced that ministers operate “like a mafia to serve interests.” “The struggle does not stop. Our plan is that we will make mobilizations for the government to withdraw the JMD of Kefalogiannis – Kyranakis and people who do not represent democracy, they only represent private interests. These are decisions that expose the government,” he noted characteristically, launching “fire” at the Ministry of Tourism regarding its announcement. “It misleads the Greek people, because it doesn’t include the law of ’18. It removes the law, 4530, and tries to convince that it’s creating a law from scratch with laws that didn’t exist in ’14. This government and especially these ministers operate like a mafia. We want to abolish a law, but we don’t say it, we don’t go to Parliament to abolish the law to bear the political cost and try to fool people… This is mafia operation to serve interests. Who got them? OPEKEPE pales in front of this transport scandal. I mean there will be many ‘butchers’ and many ‘frappés’,” he said.
“Our next moves are to harass with fruitful pressure, also making contacts with other free professional sectors that have the same problems as us. On the 22nd of the month we have a 24-hour strike for the general assembly,” Mr. Lyberopoulos also mentioned in closing.
