Strike threatens to ground flights over four days

Air-traffic controllers are to begin four 24-hour rolling strikes on Sunday to protest the draft law regarding changes to the Civil Aviation Authority. The strike is expected to mean no flights in or out of Greece for four days.

The air-traffic controllers are demanding that some articles of the draft law, which also foresees the creation of a civil aviation agency that will act as a watchdog and deal with regulatory issues, be withdrawn. Both the Civil Aviation Authority and the new agency will be under state control. Kathimerini understands that Greece's lenders had wanted the bodies to be independent but agreed following negotiations that they should come under the auspices of the Transport Ministry.

On occasion, the Greek courts have stepped in to prevent prolonged or sudden strikes by air-traffic controllers, citing reasons of national security.