Street market retailers are on strike today and are handing out free fruit and vegetables in protest at Karaiskaki square of Mexatourgio in down town Athens. The retailers are protesting a new law which changes the licensing of their sector.
The president of the street market union P. Moschos commented on ANT1 that they are currently handing out 20 tons of fruit and vegetables, with more to come. Street market unions and federations from all over Greece are also holding a protest in Syntagma square.
According to the union leader, the new law means that retailers must renew their license every three years. Mr. Moschos also fear that big businesses will enter the street markets bringing with them market-crippling oligopolies.
The Panhellenic federation of street market retailers claims that the new law will hinder modernization and the growth of enterprise since three years are not enough to cover investments, further increasing job insecurity in the sector.
