Taxi liberalization tops agenda for Cabinet meeting
The Cabinet gathered on Thursday afternoon to discuss the much-delayed legislation to liberalize taxi services.
The deregulation of the taxi sector has troubled Greece for about a year and three ministers have attempted to draft the relevant law.
It is expected that the taxi liberalization bill will not foresee the issuing of any new licenses in Attica while elsewhere their numbers will be calculated according to the local population and environmental criteria. It is likely to allow new licenses to be issued for seven- and eight-seaters.
The liberalization of closed professions is one of the goals that the government of interim Prime Minister Lucas Papademos must achieve before the country can go to the polls.
Government sources told Kathimerini Wednesday that the aim is to tie up the loose ends in Greece?s economic program as quickly as possible so that elections are held no later than May 6.
Filippos Sachinidis is taking part in the Cabinet meeting in his new role as finance minister.
Sachinidis, promoted from deputy minister, was sworn in Wednesday after Papademos decided that it was the simplest solution to the problem created by Evangelos Venizelos?s departure so he could lead PASOK. Papademos toyed with the idea of appointing Interior Minister Tassos Giannitsis but he would then have had to be replaced as well.
