The Greek customs strikes are causing problems not only for the movement of Albanian migrant workers but also for the revenue of Albanian customs.
TIRANA, Feb. 25 – As Greece’s economy goes through turbulent times, the country has been hit by strikes in virtually all sectors. However, its immediate effects on Albanians are being felt in the five highway crossings to Albania, which have been hit by unpredictable closures due to strikes by Greek customs officials.
The Greek customs strikes are causing problems not only for the movement of Albanian migrant workers but also for the revenue of Albanian customs themselves.
Officials at the Kakavija Border Crossing said this week Albanian customs are loosing about 200,000 dollars a day in revenue at that border crossing a lone. As the strike days pile up, millions of dollars in losses could accumulate at all crossings.
The customs strike in Greece is part of the angry mood over the government’s measures to deal with an economy in crisis with a spiraling public debt of nearly 13 percent. The government’s austerity measures include freezing public sector salaries, increasing the average retirement age by 2015 and raising taxes.
