Protesting truck drivers - Thessaloniki, Greece

Protesting truck drivers - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek haulage associations have decided to continue strike action and blockades despite government moves to pass laws that would allow protesters to be jailed for up to five years and have their licence revoked.

With supermarket shelves emptying and shortages in basic goods appearing across the country Greek truckers this week voted to continue their industrial dispute with Athens over radical changes in transport policy which are aimed at liberalising road haulage regulations along with other sections of the economy.

However, continued resistance to the changes which were voted into law earlier this month has continued unabated across Greece with truckers refusing to haul goods to and from warehouses and ports. In addition there have been violent clashes between drivers and riot police units in Athens and other cities as the ruling PASOK government decided on a tougher line against strikers leading to arrests.

Shots were fired at truck operating in the Malakasas region in Attiki and according to Greek media there have been a number of attacks on Bulgarian vehicles in northern Greece.

For more photographs check out Demotix.com