Athens Taxis Strike 18 Hours Over Deregulation Threat

Taxi drivers across Attica are pulling the emergency brake on their services for 18 hours starting midnight Sunday, in a bold protest against what they call a government-backed erosion of their profession.

The action, announced by the Attica Taxi Drivers' Union (SATA), aims to rally members for a critical general assembly where the future of licensed taxis hangs in the balance.

The strike will halt operations from 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 21, until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 22, forcing commuters in Greece's bustling capital to seek alternatives like buses, metros, or ridesharing apps—if available. For the Greek diaspora and international visitors eyeing a trip to Athens, this could snarl airport transfers and city tours, especially as autumn tourism picks up.

At the heart of the unrest is an "extraordinary general assembly" scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Monday at the Peristeri Exhibition Center (Dodekanisou 106, Peristeri). Union leaders are sounding the alarm over sweeping threats to the sector, including full deregulation of transport services, mandatory electric vehicle conversions, crippling tax hikes, and the unchecked rise of "pirate" operators and multinational giants siphoning off business.

"The downgrading of our role and the uncontrolled entry of large private interests into the transport sector is not a distant scenario—it's already underway with the government's blessing," the union's statement warns, pointing fingers at Transport Minister Christos Kyranakos and Deputy Maria Kefalogianni. They accuse the officials of bypassing constitutional protections through ministerial decisions, undermining the legal definition of urban transport as upheld by Greek law and European courts.

In a fiery call to arms, SATA's announcement paints a dire picture: "We stand at a critical and dangerous turning point for our industry. Scenarios of complete liberalization are resurfacing more aggressively than ever, directly threatening the sustainability of our profession, the economic dignity of thousands of families, and the lawful operation of taxis as a public transport service."

The union decries a cocktail of pressures— from "electronic mobility mandates" and "tax piracy" to the "hijacking of transport work" by unregulated players—that they say are strangling the trade. "Multinationals are finishing us off," it declares, urging every member to attend: "Your presence is mandatory. If we don't react now, tomorrow might be too late. It's us or them."

For Greeks abroad keeping tabs on homeland headlines, this flare-up echoes broader European debates on gig economy disruptions, like Uber's clashes with traditional cabbies in cities from London to Lisbon. As the assembly looms, all eyes are on whether this strike sparks wider mobilizations—or forces concessions from a government already juggling economic reforms.

SATA vows: "Everyone to the general assembly to decide our future. Everyone to the fight."

(Source: To Vima)