Cabotage end a sign of progress
An example of what the unity government under Prime Minister Lucas Papademos can achieve when it gets down to business was Thursday?s decision to lift cabotage rules on coastal shipping.
After decades of disagreements and deliberations governed by fear of the political cost such a move would carry, the Development Ministry introduced a law that would allow Greece to maximize its comparative advantage as an exceptionally popular cruise destination.
For some years a number of foreign cruise operators have been interested in investing in Greece?s port infrastructure and increasing stops in the region. They were put off, however, by a minority of unionists who expressed their opposition to lifting the cabotage rules by blockading ports as well as by the inability of the country?s politicians to find a solution.
That the political parties in the unity government have agreed to support the complete liberalization of coastal shipping, knowing that it will create jobs and attract investments, which the country so desperately needs, is truly positive.
