Greek truck drivers rallied outside the Transport Ministry on Thursday to protest against a government decision to force them back to work.

The truck driver unionists were meeting with the general secretary of the Ministry, Charis Tsiokas, ahead of a talk with Transport Minister, Dimitris Reppas.
            
Wednesday night, the Greek government ordered the mobilization of striking truck drivers, as fuel shortages were starting to affect the country.      
      
Government spokesman, George Petalotis, says the strike is causing serious disruption of public and economic life, and is endangering public health with a lack of sufficient fuel, food and medicine.
            
Thousands of truckers have been lining highways since Monday. 

The truckers are protesting against plans to open up their sector.

It’s a key reform required in a multi-billion euro EU/IMF package aimed at pulling Greece out of a debt crisis.  
          
The truck drivers now have 24 hours to return to work. If they don't, they face arrest and risk losing their licenses, but unionists say they will ignore the order.          
  
[Vassilis Theodosiou, General Secretary, Central Greek Truck Union]:
"These are very serious matters; especially the license matter. We have bought these licenses with very hard work. There is no license circulating in the market that hasn't been bought. We have paid the state for these licenses. For every license transferred the state receives taxes.”          
          
The EU/IMF plan requires Greece to open up road freight and boost competition by September.              
             
Road freight is one of the most closed professions in Greece with no new licenses issued for decades.
      
The truckers' strike has been affecting fuel supply, and worried holiday-makers are queuing to fill up their tanks.             

[Dimitris Makrivelios, Greece Gas Station Owners Union Member]:
"It’s the fourth day of the strike and a much more difficult day today, after the ministry's decision to mobilise the trucks and the drivers. Private licensed trucks haven't been loaded since. As a result, the few gas stations that had fuel supplies no longer do. So the situation is worse."

Striking truck drivers have caused major fuel shortages in the past and gas station owners say it will be no different this time.