Taxi Strike: Protest March to Maximos Mansion Demands Meeting with Mitsotakis

Taxi drivers launched a 24-hour strike starting at 6:00 a.m. on February 3, 2026, and began a protest march from SATTA’s offices to the Maximos Mansion in Athens. They demand an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and warn of indefinite industrial action if their grievances remain unaddressed. Drivers strongly oppose the government’s mandatory electric vehicle transition policy—calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘unfeasible’ due to lack of charging infrastructure and financial support. They accuse Transport Minister Constantinos Kyranakis of enabling unfair competition from multinationals and private interests, alleging a coordinated effort to dismantle the taxi sector. SATTA President Thymios Lymperepoulos issued a clear ultimatum: if the draft law on forced electrification is submitted or voted on, the profession will enter permanent strike. The union’s six core demands include halting coercive EV adoption, legally distinguishing taxi services from ride-hailing platforms, cracking down on illegal operations, ensuring fair licensing, protecting social rights, and establishing transparent regulatory oversight.