Truckers strike today

TRUCK DRIVERS, members of POVEK and the Pancyprian Business Association of A and D Licence Holders (PSEA), are to go on a 24-hour strike today.

In a joint meeting of their two Committees on Tuesday evening in Chirokitia, the unions examined the situation that was created after their meeting with Communications Minister Haris Thrasou. It emerged that both POVEK and PSEA strongly opposed to the issuing of C Licences. The two associations of truck drivers were not satisfied with the criteria used by the Ministry and Licensing Services for the approval to issue licences C.

And so after the meeting, the Presidents of POVEK Giorgos Charalambous and PSEA’s Loucas Demetriou announced that truck drivers would go on a 24-hour precautionary strike. And they are planning to go on strike for a much longer period of time if their demands to cancel the issuing of C Licences aren’t met.

Other pending matters, discussed both at the Ministry and Chirokitia, was the licensing of Turkish Cypriot truck drivers to work in the south, the better inspection by police of license holders and the licensing of trucks transporting water.

In a statement, PSEA president Loucas Demetriou supported that “the matter of C licences is a serious problem that we have been facing for the past two years”.

“We are asking that they explain to us what specially built vehicles are and they won’t explain it to us.”

In a press release yesterday, the Communications Ministry explained that the decision to issue C Licences is made by the Licensing Authorities based on provisions in legislation.

Before a final decision is made, they consult the Road Transport Department of the Communications Ministry and all other parties involved, including A Licence unions.

“The Licensing Authorities are an independent authority and no one, including the Communications Minister, can enforce an opinion.”
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