The Greek government issued a back to work order on Wednesday the 28th July but interviewed union leaders on Greek radio station flash 96 fm at about 7pm on Wednesday afternoon warned of disobedience and collateral effects should the government try to force them back to work.
As the associated press reported on Wednesday the 28th of July "The mobilization order -- issued hours after negotiations between the government and strikers collapsed -- require drivers to return to work under national emergency provisions normally reserved for wartime and natural disasters, or face criminal prosecution with penalties carrying a five-year jail term."
Gas Stations out of Gas
Greek media reports that about seventy percent of the country's gas stations are almost out of fuel, while the remaining gas stations are currently struggling to meet demand.
The tanker drivers are protesting the liberation of license rules of what has up to now been a closed profession. This overhaul of licensing rules is part of the economic austerity program imposed by the Government, the European Union and the international monetary fund or IMF.
Gas Strike Continues
Regardless of the government order, the protesters are continuing to strike and the results are proving to be devastating to the currently hurt economy and close to catastrophic insofar as the tourist industry is concerned. The strike could not have come at a worst time since Greece is in vacation mode between the fifteenth of July and the fifteenth of August, and the current fuel shortage is proving to be trying both for the country's tourist operations as well as general business environment.
The government back to work order was intended to be issued through the prefectures, but Alter News Station reported today in its afternoon news bulletin that the Prefectures controlled by the opposition New Democracy Party may be impeding the effort.
Government Decision Stands
This was quickly refuted by Macedonia Prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis who went to further stipulate that the government had inadvertently asked him to round up the trucks controlled by professional drivers and to assign the task of gasoline distribution to strike breakers or amateur personnel.
The Thessaloniki refinery, as reported this afternoon by Alter New station, was the site of bloody riots between police riot squads and striking drivers refusing to adhere to the governments' back to work mandate.
The government nevertheless is adamant in its back to work decision and intends to fully have fuel distribution back in order within the next couple of days. If the drivers do not conform with the government directive then other options like the military will be used for fuel distribution to the required parts of the country.
As finance minister Papakonstantinou said in the Greek National Television:
"No special interest has the right to hold Greek society hostage. No one has the right to paralyze the country — no one."
Antonis Hontzeas - Antonis Hontzeas has been in the forefront of the Telecommunications industry for over twenty years. Tenures include positions ranging ...
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