Private sector hires 294,000 Saudis during last 9 months    Saleh Al Shehri strike seals Al Ittihad's Sea Derby win over Al Ahli    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    Economy minister emphasizes global partnerships to address pressing challenges Private investments in non-oil sector soar 70%    Saudi Arabia's GDP grows 2.8% in Q3, driven by non-oil sectors    PIF, HKMA sign MoU to establish $1 billion investment fund    Israeli soldiers forced Palestinian men to take off clothes as they evacuated war-torn Jabalya    North Korea fires suspected intercontinental missile    India celebrates Diwali, the festival of lights    Saudi Arabia and India agree to study feasibility of establishing power grid    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR5.9 billion net profit after Zakat and Income Tax for YTD Q3    'It was like a tsunami': Spaniards recount horror of deadly floods    Bahrain Crown Prince receives Saudi Interior Minister    Derby Week makes its debut in the Roshn Saudi League    HR Ministry takes penal action against 568 violators of Domestic Workers' Regulation    Al Nassr eliminated from King's Cup after a defeat to Al Taawoun    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    Othman Al Omeir receives Legacy of Change Medal at the UK Parliament for advocacy in media    Neymar joins Saudi fashion trend, donning traditional attire at Al Hilal match    Indonesia Days event celebrates cultural diversity at Al Suwaidi Park    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Greek hauliers call end to crippling week-long strike
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 01 - 08 - 2010


Greek hauliers announced Sunday they were ending
their week-long strike, which has crippled the country and led to
fuel and food shortages, according to dpa.
"We have decided to end our strike and to return to work," said
Truck Drivers Association President Giorgos Tzortzatos following the
four-hour meeting.
Greece's armed forces and fuel companies worked around the clock
on Sunday to restock and resupply fuel-starved petrol stations,
airports and hospitals across the country.
Tourists as well as ordinary Greeks had been stranded when petrol
supplies started to run out, amidst panic buying.
Meanwhile fuel companies dispatched their own trucks on Sunday in
an effort to replenish petrol stations left dry.
Officials said the situation should return to normal by Monday.
More than 35,000 truck drivers have been on strike since the start
of the week after disobeying a government emergency order to return
to work.
Lorry drivers were protesting against plans to cut licence charges
- part of major reforms required of Greece to boost competition and
one of the conditions of a 110 billion euro bailout package by the
European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Road freight remains one of Greece's most closed professions with
no new licenses issued for nearly 40 years.
The reforms will mean drivers will no longer be able to sell their
business licences privately - sometimes for as much as 300,000 euros
- greatly devaluing the initial investment they made.
The government called an emergency mobilization order on Wednesday
and threatened the drivers with arrest and prosecution unless they
returned to work.
The hauliers' decision to go on strike came as a team of EU, IMF
and European Central Bank officials visited Athens to monitor
progress and decide whether to release the second installment of the
emergency package in September, totalling 9 billion euros.
Hundreds of rented cars were left abandoned on the side of the
road on many Greek islands after they had run out of petrol.
Meanwhile, thousands of tourists, mainly from Serbia and Bulgaria,
who drove to Greece for their holidays had been stranded as petrol
stations dried up.


Clic here to read the story from its source.