GREEK dockers walked out in protest over the privatisation of the country's two biggest ports, a condition of a multi-billion euro bailout from international lenders, Reuters reports.
Setting a date to submit binding bids for Piraeus and Thessaloniki ports is one of the actions that Athens needs to conclude its first bailout review and unlock more funds for its EUR86 billion (US$95.3 billion) bailout.
The dockers union vowed to stop privatisations and accused the government of attempting to sell out to "foreign monopolies". The strike, said shipping ministry officials, did not appear to be disrupting traffic at the ports.
"Ports should be developed by utilising own capital, through credit facilities and tapping European Union funds," said the union.
Cosco group, Maersk's stand alone port operator APM Terminals and Manila-based International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), have been shortlisted and have until October 30 to submit binding bids for a 51 per cent stake in OLP.
But Greek officials told Reuters this month that snap parliamentary elections on September 20 had held up work and the deadline would be pushed back by about 20 days.
Greece would also push back the deadline for submission of binding bids for Thessaloniki port to the end of March from early February, the head of the country's privatisation agency said last weekend.
Eight firms, including APM Terminals and Russia's state railway company, have been shortlisted for the Thessaloniki port.
Privatisations have been the key method to raise money to cut Greece's mountainous debt. The programme has raised only EUR3.5 billion (US$3.8 billion) since 2011 versus an original target of EUR50 billion in the 2011-2015 period.
Greece will miss this year's target of EUR1.4 billion (US$1.5 billion) in privatisation receipts but a EUR3.7 billion target for next year is realistic, the head of its privatisation agency told Reuters last month.
PORTS
24 October 2015 - 10:01
Greek dockers strike with limited effect but port privatisation delayed
GREEK dockers walked out in protest over the privatisation of the country's two biggest ports, a condition of a multi-billion euro bailout from international lenders
PORTS
24 October 2015 - 10:01
Greek dockers strike with limited effect but port privatisation delayed
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