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This is the second of long queues of vehicles waiting at almost all petrol stations in Greece for their turn to fuel the tanks of their cars. Most of the petrol stations had no fuel to sell still in Monday afternoon. The reason is the permanent extraordinary strike of trucks and tanks owners in Greece who protest against the new draft law on opening the so-called closed professions, which include both land and water transport services (cabotage).

“I sold the gasoline before ten in the morning,” said for GRReporter an owner of a private gas station at the end of the Aharnon Boulevard to the ring road in the capital. He said he doesn’t know when to expect the fuel supply because of the strike. “Nobody tells us anything, and I will sell oil and car fresheners while waiting the tanker to supply fuel,” explains the entrepreneur with bitterness. A worker in one of the Eco’s gas stations said they still have fuel but it will be enough not later than Tuesday evening because of the increased demand. He hopes the government and carriers will come to an agreement in the next days so as to prevent the commercial life in the country from blocking.

The present law operates since 1971. According to it, only Greek companies or individuals may exercise the relevant profession and the number of licenses is limited to about 30,000 across the country. The new law prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Development and Merchant Marine, will exempt the market from these restrictions. The main objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of the internal market and to reduce transport prices in general. The draft of the socialist government provides three-year transition period during which will be held liberalization of transport services in the country. Licensed providers disagree with the changes and threaten to continue the market boycott until the government does not abandon its plans for reform.

Making the market independent of cartels is part of the agreement between Greece and the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund to reform the local economy. In an open address to the media, the president of the Chamber of Commerce in Greece Vassilis Korkidis appealed to carriers to show common sense and not to cause further chaos in the country by blocking fuel supplies to retailers. The strike will cause additional problems if it continues to the middle of the week. Foodstuffs and other goods supplies to the outskirts of the country and to the islands will be hindered. 

Another proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure stipulates stations in populated areas in Greece to be 50 meters away from residential blocks, schools and other types of residential buildings for greater safety of citizens. This may sound strange, but when you walk around Athens and Thessaloniki you can often see gas stations at the base of residential blocks and office buildings. The Union of Gas Station Owners has announced its extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, July 27 to decide whether they should take the path of strikes in July and August, the highest period of tourism.