Greek airports back to normal, but shortages of basic goods reported

Greek airports returned to normal on Tuesday as Greek government officials reached a preliminary deal with air traffic controllers.

Chaotic scenes of thousands of travelers stranded in airports across Greece were not reported on Tuesday, as the dialogue between unionists and Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Ministry officials continued.

In a sign of good will, a 24-hour strike initially called for July 31 was canceled, air traffic controllers said. The employees object to harsh austerity measures and reforms introduced, as Greece faces a severe economic crisis this year.

The government argues that there is no alternative than drastic change and every Greek citizen should contribute with sacrifices to the efforts made to overcome the crisis.

But many Greeks seem still not convinced. International and domestic flights from and toward Greek airports are operating normally on Tuesday, but a nationwide strike by truck owners has already caused shortages of fuel and basic goods across the country, especially in the islands.

Some 70 to 80 percent of petrol stations across Greece reportedly have run out of fuels, as the owners of 30,000 state-licensed trucks do not transport goods in protest of a bill that opens up the "closed" road freight market for first time in four decades.

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